DDLC: Our Reality
by TheReader1118
Summary: If God brings you to the world of Doki Doki to do an impossible task, would you do it? Join Yoku as he tries to save this world and help the girls cope and heal from their problems. I do not own nor take credit for DDLC all credits go to Team Salvato.
1. chapter 1

I looked on in horror as my whole team got wiped out by one good ult from a Mccree. It was a devastating hail of bullets that obliterated any hope in winning. Soon, we were looking at the defeat screen. I decided to shut down my computer after this, but as I closed the Overwatch application, I got the shock of my life. Behind it was Monika in the Act Three room. After that shock, I recompose myself. Remembering that it was I that opened DDLC. I stared into her emerald green eyes. I could feel her orbs penetrate my very soul. I vividly remember aying this game for at 35 different times. I wanted to save all of them, even Monika, from such a horrible state. I was heartbroken when I kept failing everyone. I failed to save Sayori 35 times, I saw Yuri die 35 times and I saw Natsuki get deleted 35 times. Yet I lost Monika, the girl I symphatize with the most, get deleted 35 times. I sighed as I closed DDLC, thinking how could I have reached such a state. But as I closed it, a note appeared on my desktop. I read it, thinking it must be a system report.

" Hi! You don't know Me or rather, _believe_ in Me, but I want to talk with you." I raised a pretty skeptical eyebrow at this. Yet I saw another one pop up.

" I know you have been going trough a tough time lately, so I want to help." I was shocked. I haven't told anyone about my depression, have I? I looked on as one last note appeared.

" Do you want my help?" I hesitated at first, but I jokingly said 'yes'. All of a sudden, my lights were flickering on and off and my room started to shake violently. I closed my eyes, waiting for it to stop. After a few seconds, I opened them to see if I'm alright.

To my surprise, I was standing in a vast room of emptiness. It was just white, to all directions. I looked around and I saw a humanoid figure in the distance. He waved and suddenly, I was in front of him. He stood at probably 6 foot tall and he wore this white T-shirt and blue jeans. He had short brown hair and deep blue eyes. His smile beamed with energy and happiness. He placed a hand on my shoulder and spoke with a deep, resonating voice.

" Have a fun journey, young man!" He pushed me and I felt as if I was falling into an endless abyss. But as I fell, I asked him a final question.

" Who are you?" He looked down, and as the walls around me turn into lines of code, he shouted.

" Call me... God!" He lauged as I started falling more and more deeply. His damned laugh still resonating in my head.

But as I fell deeper into this abyss of numerical values and code, I saw before me a room. I braced for the incoming impact, but rather than falling flat on my face, I jumped up. I woke up in cold sweat, I looked around and I was glad it was just a dream. But as I look closer at the little details, I noticed something was off. My alarm went off, I knew I needed to get dressed for school. I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, but as I looked at the mirror my eyes widened in shock. This isn't my body! Sure my eyes and face is still there, but it has some details of it changed. Then it became clear to me, I'm not in my world anymore. I got dressed in my uniform after I brushed my teeth. I grabbed a bag and headed out. I looked outside and noticed that this place seemed familiar. I was walking quickly towards the direction of the school. Suddenly, an annoying girl ran up to me. Her peach colored hair with a red bow caught my attention. She was shouting my nane, not payi... wait... HOLY SHIT IS THAT SAYORI?!

" Heeeeeeyyy! Wait up Yoku!" Yoku?! The hell?! That's my username in all my games! I watched as Sayori caught up to me. She panted and tried to catch her breath. I smiled at her, but then I remember, I need to act normal.

" Oh, hi Sayori! Geez, you woke up late again." She put on that awkward smile and laughed while rubbing her head.

" Sorry, sorry! I can't really get out of bed this morning." I sighed as she finally composed herself.

" Let's get going then, shall we?" I then continued to walk while Sayori followed beside me. I could feel her blue eyes glance in my direction from time to time.

" About yesterday, have you thought about it?" She gave me an expectant look as she waits for my answer.

" What about yesterday?" She pouted at me.

" The clubs! Geez, are you sure you are ok Yoku?" A worried look flushed over her face.

" Yup! I'm fine! Ehehehe." I murmered as we walked on. I can't afford to make Sayori worry about me. I need to help her first. We continued to walj in silence after that. I decided to break the tension in the air by speaking to her.

" Anyways, about the clubs... I heard you're vice president of the Literature Club. Is it fun there?" I ask like I didn't know anything about the club.

" Huh? Yes... it's fun, even if there is just 4 of us there." She laughed at their current situation.

" Hmm, do you think you guys have room for one more?" I grinned at her while her blue eyes lit up at what I just said.

" E-Eh?! Really?! You want to join the Literature Club?!" She squealed in delight.

" Well you look so happy there! I want to see what makes you hapoy there." She smiled at me before we continued to walk again in utter silence. I decided to ask her how she is doing in order to know how she is doing.

" Hey, how have you been? We haven't walked like this in a while." She smiled and shook her head.

" I'm fine. It's just that I've been feeling tired lately." She continued to look forward. It wrings my heart to see her keep hiding this. I can't really blame her for hiding this feelings. I too, know all about it's effects and hardships.

" Yoku? Hello? You still there?" I returned to my senses as Sayori snapped some fingers in front of my face.

" Y-yeah.. " I replied, yet I felt still feel uneasy.

" Hey Sayori, do you know how hard it is to constantly deal with life everyday?" She shot me this surprised look, I continued to talk.

" Sometimes, I just feel like the world is against me. I just find myself on some days lying on my bed and thinking about all the problems I bring..." As I said these words, she started to worry.

" Yoku... are you sure you're fine?" She held my hand, causing me to be surprised.

" If you're having a hard time, please tell me. I care about you... so I wanna help you." I chuckle to myself. Sayori... It should be me that is saying that to you. But I did feel bad, I was about to know how Sayori is doing with her depression not the other way around!

" That is exactly what I love about you. Your caring personality and how you are able to make everyone around you smile." I could her her 'Eep' in the backround. I turned my head to see that she kept her head bowed down. I could clearly see that she is blushing brightly. As I was about to ask if she was ok, we heard the loud ringing of the school bell.

" Oh shoot! We need to hurry! It's just down the street, let's go!" I grabbed Sayori and we bolted towards the school.

We barely made it in time. We were placed in different classrooms so I had to say goodbye to her but I promised to meet her after classes. I sat down near the window at the... back... of the classroom... WHAT IS THIS? A SCHOOL ANIME? As I settled down, classes began to start. The lessons are easy yet the day was boring. As the last period wrapped up, I looked out the window to thi... TOO CLICHE! I shook my head and placed all my things in my bag. As the classroom emptied, Sayori walked in to pick me up.

" Hey Yoku! Ready to go?" I stood up and smiled at her.

" Yeah! Let's go." I followed her lead to the club room. It's just like how the game describes the place. Rarely used rooms meant for the third years and their activities. As Sayori opened the door, I walked in to meet the Literature Club in person.


	2. God's Task

I opened the door into the club room. Sayori flew past me and started introducing me to the people there.

" I brought the new member today!~" I felt everyone stare at me. I laughed nervously and stepped inside.

" H-hello! I'm Yoku Shisegi! Nice to meet everyone." I bowed my head, for it was a customary way of greeting.

" Ugh... You brought a boy? Geez, what a pain." As expected, Natsuki is acting like a tsundere.

" Calm down Natsuki, we don't want to chase off our new member, right?" Yuri glanced at me before looking back at her book.

I looked at Monika, who was standing near the windows. Her expression was that of surprise and her mouth was open ajar. Her green eyes were staring at me in shock. She managed to regain her composure and she tuck a lock of her brown hair behind her ear.

" N-nice to m-meet you again, Yoku." She smiled lightly before looking away.

" You... know each other?" Sayori asked me with this inquisitive tone.

" Y-yeah... We were classmates last year." I tried to sound convincing. Thankfully, they fell for it.

" Anyway, I'm going to talk with Yoku in private." Monika walked up to me and grammed one of my hands.

" Why?" Natsuki pressed Monika, who was clearly was uncomfortable answering that.

" I... need to make sure he REALLY wants to join this club!" Everyone nodded in unison. Monika pulled me out of the door and we went inside an empty classroom near us.

" What are you doing here?! You shouldn't be here! Why can't you just leave me alone!" Monika had this tone of both worry and fear. She looked at me with her emerald green eyes that is full of longing.

" Because... I... I want to save you!" I said loudly. I finally managed to get this weight off my chest. I always wanted to say these words to Monika. She gasped, and covered her mouth. A red streak appeared on her face. Tears started forming in the corners of her eyes.

" B-but... why? You know about everything I did, yet why do wish to save me?" Regret permeated from those words. I slowly walk up to her, and she backs away inch by inch.

" 35, 35 times I have lost you. I'm not willing to lose you again." I stared longingly at her emerald eyes. I hate seeing her beautiful face be covered with tears.

" I... I want to give you the happy ending you deserve." As those words left my mouth, Monika threw her arms around me and pulled me into a warm embrace.

" T-Thank you... I don't know what to say..." I felt her hug tighten.

" You don't need to say anything. Come on, they're probably waiting for us." I hesitated from pulling away from this embrace, but I had to. We were both dissapointed, yet I know we need to get back quickly.

After she wiped away her tears, we immediately went back to the club room. Sayori and Natsuki looked at us with this worried look.

" What took you so long?!" Natsuki pouted and folded her hands.

" Oh, I just had a few questions to ask Monika." I smiled nervously. Thankfully, Sayori unintentionally came to my rescue.

" Nevermind that Natsuki! Let's eat your cupcakes!" Natsuki sighed and gave me one last glare before pulling out a tray of cat themed cupcakes. Yuri also stood up to make tea for us.

" Here, get one... Just so you know, I d-didn't make it f-for you..." She handed me the tray. I took one and smiled at her. As I took a bite, a surge of flavor flowed through my body.

" This is really delicious Natsuki! You must have worked really hard on this. Thank you." Her face began to turn as pink as her hair.

" T-that's right! So you better enjoy the flavor!" She pouted and turned her head away from me.

" Tsundere." She looked back at me with this embarrassed face.

" I-I'm not a Tsu-... whatever." She stuck her tounge out at me. She then sat back on her chair.

As we sat down in the makeshift table, I decided to sit beside Sayori. I looked at Monika with an apologetic look. Thankfully, Monika mouthed me the words "I understand". As I sat down, Yuri served as the green tea she brewed. I took to sip and found out that it was delicious.

" Wow Yuri, you brew good tea." Yuri started to fluster and blush. Her hands became unsteady, causing a few drops to splatter when she served Natsuki.

" H-Hey! Watch it!" Natsuki exclaimed at Yuri.

" A-ah, I-I'm sorry..." Yuri bowed down and finished serving everyone tea before sitting down.

Monika then began to talk about the club's activities. She suggested that we make some poems. We all agree with her idea. Later, our conversations turned into discussions about literature. As we finished wrapping up the discussion, Monika stood up and clasped her hands together.

" Okay everyone! I think that wraps up today's meeting! Don't forget your poens tomorrow, mhhmmkay?" Natsuki and Yuri left firstAs they left the room, we could hear them arguing about manga.

" Hey, we're going to walk home together, right?" Sayori asked me with puppy eyes. I smiled and patted her head.

" Of course! I was looking forward to this!" Sayori smiled at me and hugged me. I looked to my side and saw Monika waving at me.

" See ya later Yoku!" We both waved back at her and proceeded on our way home.

As we walked home, we talked about our experience in the Literature Club. I told her that it was a fun day for me. But as we continued to walk, we started to become more silent. Suddenly, Sayori asked me a question about my depression.

" Hey... how are able to deal with your rainclouds?" I was confused at first, but I managed to answer her.

" I just... think about tomorrow, how it could be a sunny day." Sayori's expression changed into that off confusion.

" Why?" She asked me softly.

" Because, I can't afford to let this sadness control my life. I have so much memories I want to create with the people I love. I can't let my sadness taint those future memories." Sayori stood silent, staring at me with eyes filled with symphaty.

" That is why, you shouldn't let your depression push you to anything you might regret, Sayori." Sayori's expression turned into that of shock.

" Y-you knew?" Before Sayori could fall to her knees, I caught her by embracing her.

" I've only noticed it recently. The way you hid it was amazing. I've never really thought you have depression from the smile you always wear and the way you treat others nicely. I'm so proud of you, you're so strong Sayori." Tears fell from both of us. We gave each other a tight embrace.

" Why didn't you leave me? Am I not a burden to you? You're already dealing with your problems, and here I am putting more work on you." I patted her back and held her tighter.

" Why should I leave you? Look, Sayori, stop thinking you're a burden! You're not! If you are not part of the Literature Club, who knows what would have happened with Yuri and Natsuki. You're the glue that holds that place together. The club needs you... I... need you." Sayori pulled back, and looked at me with eyes full of sadness.

" Then, how could I make this pain and sadness go away?" I stood up and smiled at her.

" Not 'I', rather 'We'. Let us help you Sayori. You're not alone in this, I'm sure the club would be more than willing to help you." Sayori smiled and I picked her up.

" Remember, if you ever feel down, I'm here for you. Let's deal with this together, okay?" Sayori wiped away her tears and smiled.

" Sure! I'm counting on you Yoku!" I smiled at her and we continued walking.

As we walk, I gave her ways on how to cope with depression. I told her that a neat and tidy environment helps with making her happy. Putting more tinebin hobbies also helps in taking your mind off this things. We finally arrive at her house. She gave me one last hug before we said good bye to each other. I went to my house next door and sighed. I know no one would be waiting inside fo-

" Hello dear! Do you want dinner? A bath? or... me?" Monika stood infront of me, still wearing her school uniform.

" First of all, dinner. Second, how did you get here?" She laughed as I went inside my house.

" Here, let me show you." She did a gesture with her hand and a command window popped up.

" Oh, I see... you still have those powers." She chuckled at me.

" Yup. But you know, it's strange. The game's files are growing at an alarming rate. The .chr files have grown in several petabytes! And there is some new folders like 'World Data'." As she looked into the issue, I checked the refrigerator for food. I saw that I had enough ingredients for tomato soup.

As I prepare the ingredients, Monika asked me questions about my world.

" Uhm, do you miss your old life?" I turned around to answer her when I froze. She had that pose in the void room.

" Hey? What's wro- Oh, I'm sorry! Please, continue." Monika readjusted herself and prepared to listen to me.

" Well... Yes and no." I chopped the tomatoes, onions and garlic cloves.

" Why? Did some bad things happen with you and your family?" Monika tilts her head as she asked the question. I brought the tomatoes, garlic and onions to a boil.

" Not really... Ok maybe some drama, but that is a story for another time!" In a stockpot, I melted some butter, flour and chicken stock.

" Ok... How about hobbies? What are your hobbies?" I pondered about it. I mixed the ingredients together and seasoned with salt, pepper, sugar and basil.

" Besides gaming, hiking." Monika let out an 'Ahhh'. I took out two bowls and served Monika a serving. She took a sip and was immediately impressed.

" Wow! It's delicious! You could really taste the flavor of the tomato." I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

" You... know the taste of a tomato? Have you even eaten before?" Monika pondered about it. She kept tapping her temple, then she spoke.

" I do have vague memories about it. It seems the new code encoded me with the data to know all about tastes and smells and... basically all the experiences a highschool girl would have with her senses." As we thought about it, someone asked me to pass the salt. I slide the salt to the other end of the table.

As I passed the salt, we realized what happened. Me and Monika looked at the other end of the table to see... 'God' eating some of my soup.

" WHAT THE HELL?!" I stood up in shock as I pointed at this being.

" What are you doing here?!" As I panicked, the being remained calm. He continued sipping on my soup.

" Yoku... I can't see him... rather... I can't see his code." Monika trembled in fear.

" Relax... I don't have any evil intentions. And I am not made up of mere 'codes'!" The being continued to finish my soup.

" Now, the main reason I'm here. I'm here to see if Yoku is ready for such a task." He gulped down the remains of my soup and he made the bowl vanish with a simple snap of his fingers.

" The girls of this club, they are suffering. If you can help them, and prove to me you are willing to... Then I will let you remain in this world!" As Monika and I watched as he opened a portal, he pulled out a phone from his pocket.

" Now, I'll give you... until the end of the festival, which is in two weeks! If you could help this girls, I'll let you stay i. this world." He waved his arm and just like that, disappeared.

As we finished our soup, there was a heavy silence between us. After we finished, I washed the bowls and utensils we used. I thought about my situation carefully. But while I was deep in my thought, Monika called out to me.I turned around to see her in a cute dog pajama.

" So? How do I look? Do I look cute? Teehee~" I smiled warmly at her.

" Yup! Really cute!" A streak of red crossed her face. It was cute.

" W-well, I'll be in your bedroom. Night!" She let out a yawn before going up the stairs. I finished up washing the bowls and decided to take a quick shower.

After I was done putting on my pajamas, I walked into the room with Monika looking out the window. She noticed me enter the room. As I sat on my bed, I gestured for her to sleep next to me. As she laid next to me, I was finally able take in the details of her beautiful face. Her emerald green eyes seem like they are able to hypnotize the peiple who look into them. Her face was smooth and fair, like that of a goddess. I could see the strands of her silky brown hair run down her face. I pulled her closer to my chest, I always wanted to do this. I could feel her heartbeat and her warmth, it brought me comfort to know that she is here. I could feel her hands tighten around me, it was as if she felt like I was drifting away from her. I embrace her tightly, and kiss her forehead. Soon, I started to doze off and fall unconscious. But before I went to sleep, I felt Monika wrap herself tighter around me.

" Sweet dreams... my love." She uttered those words before I went to sleep.

" Goodnight, my dear."


	3. Sunny Days

I woke up around three in the morning. I couldn't breathe, it feels like I was drowning, and now I know why. At some point last night, Monika buried my face in her chest. She held me tightly, like I was abour to float away any moment. But, as I pulled away, her eyes opened.

" Y-Yoku? Did I wake you up?" Her sleepy face just makes her so cute! She lestens her grip around me to rub her eyes.

" Nah, I just wanted to see your cute face, that's all!" I playfully tease Monika, whose face started turning red.

" O-oh, Um... Ahaha~ You flatter me!" Monika cuddles up to me.

" Uhm, hey... Can I ask you a favor?" Monika looked up to me with a dmile on her face.

" Anything for you, my love!" I pondered on how to say it.

" Could you check the character files? See if anything has changed." Her face contorted into that of a grim expression.

" Hold on." We both sat up and went trough the game's character files. We saw a note inside, it says 'read me'.

 _If you are wondering if I did something to the .chr files, rest assured! I did **not** do anything to it. I promise!" _We didn't believe him, Monika went trough the. chr to look.

" None. No changes. He is telling the truth. Huh, I really thought hebwould tamper with it." As Monika said this, I felt some of my fears go away. Monika and I let out a sigh of relief.

I decided to lie down once again. Monika once again cuddled up to me. The warmth we shared with each other brought with it this nice feeling.It was like I'm under a few layers of comfy blankets. We continued to cuddle like this for at least another hour. I've tried to avert ny gaze towards her chest area, but now I'm this close, I can really see that they're pretty big. Monika giggled waved her index finger at me.

" C-cup if you are wondering. Although, I am a little mad that you keep glancing at them every few minutes." She giggled and hugged me. My face was red and I felt a little ashamed of what I did.

As we cuddled, I can't help but stare into her eyes. Being this close to her, being able to embrace her, it's a dream come true. I caressed the side of her cheek, it was soft and smooth to the touch, it was like a doll. She purred at my touch and held my hand. We gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments. We leaned closer to each other, and we closed our eyes.

" Monika..." I whisered to her softly.

" Yoku..." She whispered with a tone full of longing. Just as our lips were about to meet...

The alarm clock sounded. What the hell universe?! Does this look like some cliché anime scene to you?! We were startled and surprised that we had to pull away from each other. We looked at each other awkwardly and smiled. We stood up and prepared to go to school. I went to grab my uniform and readied it. I grabbed a towel and took a shower. As the warm water hit my back, I felt relaxed and energized. I finished my shower and brushed my teeth. I went to my room to get changed. As I finished getting dressed, I went downstairs to see Monika in her school uniform. She smelled like a bed of roses, her hair is still wet in some places.

" Where... did you take a bath?" I asked as I stood beside her.

" At my house. Why? Did you wanted me to take a bath with you? Ahaha~ I'm just teasing you Yoku! Don't get so flustered." Monika winked at me and headed to the kitchen. I felt my face turn red for a moment.

" But... how did... oh, Python, right." I murmur to myself as I enter the kitchen.

Monika said it was her turn to cook, so she told me to sit tight. As I watcged her move in the kitchen, I saw that from time to time ingredients appeared in front of her. She was making us tofu and eggs for breakfast. I asked Monika if she could make one for Sayori. She paused for a second and hesitated. I told her it's for Sayori's sake, and it will _really_ help her self-esteem if we remember her. She relented to my plea and made a third serving for Sayori. We placed our breakfast in our containers and put them inside our bags. The smell alone is amazing, I can't wait to taste it. I told Monika to go ahead, cause it would be bad if Sayori sees the two of us leaving my hohse together. She sighed at the fact she had to leave my side. I reassured her that I'll meet her later. We gave each other a hug before I sent her off.

I headed to Sayori's place to pick her up. I was about to knock on the door when Sayori opened the door. We both had a surprised look on our faces.

" Sayori! That's a surprise! You're up early, and you're... smiling!" I can't help but hug her. Seeing Sayori like this gives me hope.

" Wah?! H-hey Yoku! D-don't hug me so suddenly!" She struggles free from my hug. But after she straightens her uniform, she looks at me and smiles.

" Yeah, I thought about what you said yesterday! I did struggle to get out of my bed at first, but I managed to do it! It was hard thinking positively, but I tried my hardest! Are you proud of me Yoku? I feel like I'm slowly getting rid of my rain clouds!" Tears of joy started falling from our eyes. I didn't see eyes full of emptiness and sadness from Sayori, I saw beautiful blue eyes glimmering with hope. I pat her on the head and gave a thumbs up.

" I'm really proud of you Sayori. Very proud. Battling depression is a hard thing to do, yet here you are Sayori! You're still standing strong. Good job." As I said these words, Sayori pulled me into a soft and cool embrace.

" Thank you Yuko. You're a great best friend! You are the one who gave me strength to live and enjoy life." I pat her back and returned the hug.

" Let's get going then. I'm sure being late on a such a sunny day would be annoying, right?" I gave her the breakfast Monika made for her. She smiled and thanked me.

Sayori smiled energetically and ran ahead of me gleefully. As I close the door of her house and catch up to her, I notice a piece of rope dangling out of her trash can. I ignore it and try to catch up with Sayori. We continued to walk nonchalantly, talking about what kinds of fun activities we could suggest to the club. We managed to reach the school at least 30 minutes before the bell rings. I wanted to spend some more time with Sayori, but I had some really important things to do. Sayori understands, but she demands I have to spend my lunch with her. I agree and we went our separate ways. I ate my breakfast in the classroom. It's filled with rich, heavenly flavors that enwraps your mouth. I finished it quickly and began to work on the poem I forgot to do. I looked around and saw that the students here looked like... normal people. They have unique traits like body shape, voices, hair styles and faces that make them differ from each other.

" Yo, that's a nice poem you got there! Mind if I read it?" I heard a male voice from beside me with a calm yet curious tone.

"Sure, here y-" I stared once again at the being who called himself 'God'. Except he was wearing the standard school uniform and his height is that if a typical highschooler.

" Ehehehe~ Hi. Anyway, nice progress Yuko! Hope you continue the nice work." He waved goodbye and walked out of the door. My mind was left baffled and confused. But before I could properly realize what just happened, the school bell ringed.

Classes once again started. Once again, time flew by for me. The lessons were once again, easy. As lunch rolled by, I managed to finish my poem. It wasn't great, but you know, it's something. I folded it and placed it in my pocket. I headed out and went to pick up Sayori in her classroom that was just down the hall. I gently opened the door to see Sayori fixing her things.

" Sayori! You ready to eat?" She turned to my direction and was surprised, but she gave a nod to me.

As we walked to the canteen, I managed to show her the poem I made. It was in a haiku style but I think it passes as a poem. She began to read.

 _Raindrops_

 _Tiny raindrops fell,_

 _Sending ripples in the pond._

 _The pond stood silent._

" Wow! I never knew you write poetry Yoku!" She exclaims joyfully.

" Y-yeah, I don't really want anyone to know." I nervously laugh.

" Hmmm, but what does the poem mean Yoku?" She shot me an inquisitive look.

" I'll let you know all about it in the club room. For now, let's eat lunch. I'm famished." We managed to squeeze in line at the cafeteria and buy our food.

We just talked about school and the new friends we met as we ate our lunch. Sayori was concerned about me due to the fact I haven't really socialized with other people. I reasurred her that it's fine because I still manage to talk with other people. As we continue, I notice that Sayori's smile seems brighter today. I can't help but stare at her. She notices this and starts getting uncomfortable.

" Yoku? I-Is there something on my face? Yoku? Hello?" I snapped back in reality and apologized to Sayori.

" Sorry! I was just thinking of school stuff.Ehehe~" Sayori smiled at me and laugh.

" Ahaha, that's ok Yoku. Besides, I dobt mi-... Is that Monika?" I turned around to see Monika behind a corner with her head sticking out. She pulled back her head swiftly.

Before Sayori could question me about it, Lunch ended so we had to quickly go back to our classrooms. I waved goodbye to Sayori as I headed into my classroom. As time flew by once again, I became bored in class. As the last period ended and I prepared to go to the club room, I felt as if someone was watching me. I turned around to see no one else around. I shrugged off this feeling and headed to the club room. I opened the door to see that Monika was there, looking out the window. I coughed to signal that I was in there with her. She turned around to look at me. She had such a grim and serious expression on her face.

" Hey Yoku... Do you think that... this... is not real?" I pondered about it.

" Why do you say that?" I caught her off guard.

" Because... I can still feel the lines of code in the universe. Sure the size of the world increased and the people here acts like real people but..." She paused for a second, hesitation gripped her.

" I'm just... scared. I'm scared that this entire world might just be a simulation. I don't want to lose you again Yoku." I sighed as I went up to her.

" Don't worry. I'll do my best to save everyone." I was about to embrace her when the door flew open. We both stumbled and quickly acted like we were just talking about literature.

" Aww, Monika and Yoku were here first." Sayori entered the classroom and took a sit. Natsuki and Yuri followed after her.

As we sit in the makeshift table, we bgan our talks about the upcoming school festival.


	4. Plans of Salvation

I told Monika that maybe it's still a tad bit too early to start thinking about it. I got a few strange looks from Natsuki and Sayori. Monika insisted that the earlier we could plan for the festival, the sooner we could relax. Everyone agreed with Monika's logic. Monika points out that the upcoming school festival is on Monday next week. She wanted to hear any ideas on what to do during the festival. Monika and I already know what we are going to do but we wanted to hear everyone's idea. Everyone thought about it for awhile, but as expected, no ideas. I acted as if I was nervously suggesting to perform and recite our poems. Monika was 'impressed' by my idea and she decided to go with it. We figured that we should assign tasks on a later day.

" Anyway, now that we got that out of the way, why don't we share our poems with each other!" Monika clasped her hands together and we begin to show each other our poems. I showed my poem to Yuri first, although Monika wanted to see it first.

" Hmm... I see you're a fan of the Haiku style of writing." I chuckled nervously while Yuri further examined the poem.

" And it's theme seems to be something about choices, huh? The effect choices can make on... the... world... Um, Y-Yoku? A-are you ok? P-please s-stop... staring." Yuri stared down at the floor to hide her blush. I stopped staring at Yuri, but I was still impressed.

" Wow... I didn't know you could easily understand the meaning of a poem Yuri! I'm impressed." Yuri was flattered, yet she was also so embarrassed.

" A-ah... T-thank you. H-here is mine." Yuri's hands were shaking as she handed me her poem. It was 'The Ghost Under the Light' one. I have read this so many times, yet I read it once more.

" It's a nice poem Yuri. But I'm sorry if I can't really grasp the meaning of it." I lied, yet I tried to hide it. I know it is about the feelings that she is slowly learning how to handle.

" That's ok. I'm sure you will understand in time." She excused herself to make tea. I looked at Monika, who was just smiling at me. I smiled back and went to Natsuki.

" W-what? Y-you want to read my poem? Whatever, it's crap anyway. Here." She handed me the Eagles Can Fly poem.

" It's cute you know? Especially the ending. Though it is a little sad in the end." Natsuki pouted and turned her head away from me.

" Your's is not bad either. Is that what you wanted to hear? Now go away! Hmph!" She grabbed her poem and I took mine back.

" Geez, Tsundere much?" As I turned around to go and share my haiku with Sayori, Natsuki stuck her tounge out at me.

" Yo! Mind if I read yours Sayori?" Sayori hesitates at first, but gives in. But as I read it, I see that it was still 'Dear Sunshine'.

" You... wrote it this morning didn't you?" Sayori nodded.

" How did you know?" I shake my head lightly.

" Just a hunch. Ahaha~" Sayori smiled and patted me on the head.

" You did a good job on your haiku, Yoku!" I gave her back the poem she made and finally, I showed mine to Monika.

" Geez, were you teasing me by not choosing me first? Ahaha~" I chuckled as I gave her my haiku.

" Well... You know what they say, Save the best for last." I chuckle as Monika's expression turned to that of embarrassment.

" Eep! D-don't say those things out loud! It would be really bad if Sayori found out." I chuckle to myself and wait as she read mine. She gave me her poem but by now, I have memorized it by heart.

" Hmm, I see our poems share the same theme. Except mine is about my epiphany, while yours is about the impact of your choices in this world." We laugh at each other. I always wanted Monika to read my poem, now that dream has come true.

" Anyway, I think it's time to go home everyone. Let's wrap it up and head home." With that, the second club meeting concludes.

I once again went home with Sayori. She was impressed that I was able to share my poems with everyone. I told her that it was nothing. Today, I asked her how she was doing. She said that she could feel herself slowly recover, yet it's still there. I told her not to rush, and that she should do it step by step. I was also surprised when she told me that playing the guitar helps get her mind shift focus from dark thoughts towards a song she is making. I told her I would want to hear her sing from time to time. She agrees and told me she'll play during the festival. But as we neared my home, we both sensed someone is following us. I turned around to see that damn god following me again. He was waving at me with his right hand and he brought a bag of chips with the other.

" W-who is that Yoku?" Sayori whispered to me discreetly.

" Just an old... acquaintance. Let's just walk faster." Sayori nods and begins to pick up the pace. I turned around one last time and saw that he was gone.

We managed to reach her house earlier than usual. As we said goodbye to each other, we gave each other a hug. I whistled as I walked towards my home. I opened the door gently. As I opened the door, I could hear Monika scolding someone. I rushed inside to see she was scolding 'God', who was sitting on my sofa, with empty wrappers and bags of chips lying around and watching Highschool DxD with a lewd smile on his face.

" Yuko! Thank goodness you're here! Tell him to stop watching something so lewd and disgusting!" Monika pointed at the being, who was too engrossed with the show. I sighed and grabbed a rolled up newspaper. I walked up to the being and hit him on the head.

" What in the name of me! Fine! Geez, no need to get violent!" In a flash, the trash around him disappeared and the TV switched to Kimi no Nawa.

" Anyway, I'm here to congratulate you! Nice progress with Sayori! I hope you can prevent the... incident. Remember, I'm rooting for you!" Before I could react, he disappeared in flash of light.

" Ugh... It's like I have a fucking fanboy following me." I groan as I head to the kitchen. I looked at the time, 5:00 pm. I remember I have to go grab some food.

" Hey Monika, you mind if we go to the grocery store for a bit?" I asked Monika, who was channel surfing.

" Sure! Wait... I could always summon the ingredients. Why do you want to buy ingredients anyway?" She asked with an intrigued tone and curious eyes.

" Well, if you don't want to spend an afternoon going out with me, then I guess I'll just have to let you summon the ingredients." I looked at her face as it turned into that of realization.

" N-never m-mind what I said! L-let's go out on t-this date!" She quickly got up and dragged me out of the house.

" W-wait! It's not a date! We're just going out to buy ingredients and spend some time in the park for a while!" My voice got drowned out by the loud footsteps as Monika and I ran towards the nearby mall.

As I pushed the cart trough the aisles, I kept glancing at Monika and the stuff she places in the cart. I bought mostly vegetables and sweets, but I still bought some bacon for my sake. We mostly talked about the nutritional contents of the stuff we bought. I didn't tell Monika what I was planning to make with the stuff I bought. After we finished paying for the stuff, we took a slight detour home. We went trough the park before going home. I was curious on what a place that was not in the game looked like. It looked like a regular park, like the one in most cities. As we walked by the pond, I realized that Monika was holding my arm all this time.

" This is nice, isn't it? The feeling you get when you spend time with the person yiu love." Monika said softly, with a calm tone behind it.

" Yes, it is nice. But you know what is better?" I asked teasingly.

" What could be better than this?" She asked curiously.

" I'll tell you later once we go home." Monika pouted and punched me softly on my shoulder.

" Such a tease. This is why I love you~" I laughed and we continued walking home.

We reached my house around 6:00 pm. I decided to make some vegetavle curry with beef substitute. Monika decided to take a bath as I cooked our meal. I savored the smell that it emitted. I could feel the gentle and mild spice in my mouth. The tomatoes, onion, garlic and curry powder becomes an aroma bomb, filling my house with it's scent. I added the seitan, bouillon cubes, vegetables, water, salt and pepper and cocunut milk. I let it cook for 30 minutes. I pulled out my phone, which I finally found inside my bag. I checked to see that it was hard reset. I installed some apps and for the meantime, looked at memes.

" Hey! That smells so good! Is it ready yet?" I turned around to see that Monika is wearing a green T-shirt with a broccoli on it and leggings.

" Uhh, 20 minutes. You want to watch some anime while we wait?" I gestured to the spot beside me. She nodded and jumped on the sofa.

" Oof! Y-you're haevier than I expected!" Monika laid her head on my lap and started snuggling and purring like a cat.

" That's not nice! I'm not that heavy! Anyway, what anime we watchin?" She looked up at me with a cat face expression. God, she's really cute, control yourself Yoku! We don't want to stab her head with your _sword!_

" U-um... You want to watch... Drifters?" I managed to calm myself down and keep calm.

" Sure!" I pressed play and we begin to watch.

I liked the action and gore this series brings. The plot too is enjoyable for me. Monika tho, not too much. She likes the plot and story but the gore is a little bit too much for her. But she does enjoy the action and strategies used. We finished the first episode just as the curry finished cooking.

" I didn't know you liked such violent shows." Monika pouted at me.

" I don't really enjoy the violence, it's the plot I'm after." Monika raises an eyebrow at me.

" Let's just eat that curry! It's aroma is already delicious." As she sat down, I grabbed two bowls and filled them with rice and curry. I placed the bowl in front of her along with her spoon and fork. We began to eat immediately.

" Wow! Nice call with the seitan! I really gives texture to the curry." She was impressed.

" I know right! I wanted it to feel like a curry with meat." I smiled proudly.

" Yup! It's really delicious!" And, once again, god is here.

" Why do you keep popping up in Yoku's house?" Monika groaned at the being.

" Because I want to see how he is doing! Duh!" He was eating the curry quickly.

" Aren't you an all-seeing god?" He paused for a moment and sighed.

" Not really. Sure, I have great knowledge, but I'm not all-seeing. Besides, I'm not the same 'God' that most of humanity worships." We stare at him in silence as he gulps down the food.

" Anyway, I have something to give you." He threw the bowl into some sort of portal and he pulled out a notebook.

" You're holding the game's logs. Even Monika can't access these files cause I locked her out of it, it would make her too op. It would allow you to see the actions of the three girls in intervals of 15 minutes." He slide it down the table and smiled. We were both shocked to be given such a tool.

" But it comes with a side effect. The longer you use it, the longer the intervals become. You'll need such a power in the days to come. Now, farewell Yoku! It'll be a long time till I speak to you like this!" Light flashed and 'God' is gone.

" What the hell... Such a huge amount of data." I could see Monika stare intently at the notebook.

" What could you see Monika?" I asked her.

" The data is encrypted, but I could feel it's weight. It's like the entire world in a small amount of space." I felt awed by such an item in my hands. It's like being a god. But... I know that it's too dangerous.

" We... shouldn't open it. We should use it in emergencies only." We both nodded and stood up.

" I'll go take a shower so that we could both sleep. I'll leave the notebook in your care Monika." I handed her the notebook and got inside the shower.

As I took a cold shower, I thought hard on how will I help everyone in this world. The chills sent down my spine were not caused by the cold droplets hitting my back. It was caused by the thought of what failure would mean. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. I'm not willing to lose them again for a 36th time. As those thoughts finally cleared, a glimmer of hope shined brightly. I got it! I quickly finished my shower and put on my pajamas. I rushed inside my room to find Monika using the computer inside my room.

" WHY DON'T WE HELP THEM ALL TOGETHER?!" I shocked Monika, who nearly fell off the chair.

" W-what? What do you mean?" She recomposed herself and stood up.

" Instead of choosing just one of you guys, why not invite them all over to my house! This way, Natsuki and Yuri won't be fighting with each other!" As I proudly declare my solution, Monika pondered about it and sighed.

" You do know that multitasking to help two people qwith tedious tasks is really hard, right?" Monika folded her arms.

" But you and Sayori is right next door. If you guys manage to finish the task early, you could come over and help me. It would really help me and make it feel that no one got left out." I awaited Monika's response. She let out a sigh and nodded.

" Well, Sayori seems to be doing fine. But I feel she still harbors those feelings of regret. The feeling that she is losing you." A worried expression washed over her face.

" You're right. But... as long as I am able to convince her that I'm not leaving her, it would be fine. Right?" I'm getting nervous and my tone shows it. Monika places a hand on my shoulder to reassure me.

" Hey, don't worry. Knowing you, I'm sure you can do it. Besides, I can now support her instead of making her depression... worse." Her smile fades into a frown. I see that she deeply regrets doing that to Sayori.

" Don't worry. It's not your fault. You were just following the game's script. Anyway, I'm wondering, how do we help the other girls?" We sighed and scratched our heads.

I think we spent a few hours drawing up plans for each girl except Natsuki. Natsuki's problem would be hard to deal with. It's a problem that would require her to face alone. Monika and I concocted for Yuri. As long as I don't make her feel too attach to me, she won't fall in love with me and kill herself. As we finished talking about this, we felt tired both physically, mentally and emotionally. I looked at the time and saw it was around 11:00 pm. Tonight was a silent one, only the crikets and bats could be heard. We both laid ourselves on bed and said our goodnights. I looked at Monika's face, her green eyes staring back at me. I brushed a strand of her brown hair and tucked it behind her ear. She smiled warmly and placed a hand on my cheek. I grab her by the waist and pull her closer. Her soft breaths I could feel on my face. The rhythm of her beating heart I could hear. As she closed her eyes, so did I. I leaned closer to the point I could feel her lips graze along mine. I hesitated for a second and then...


	5. Cracks

Monika's finger slid between our lips at the last second. We both had a dissapointed look on our face but we knew it would be the right thing to do. I pulled back and averted my eyes from hers.

" Hey, as much as I want to do it now, we can't. It feels wrong, too wrong. I don't want to be selfish and place my own desires first. I-I want to help everyone in the club before I let my dream come true. Okay?" She had dissapointment in her eyes and regret in her voice. Her embrace loosened and weakened.

" It's ok Monika. I understand. For now, let's just try our hardest to save everyone." I pulled her closer to my chest, content that I was still able to cuddle with her. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

I woke up to the sound of my alarm. It was Wednesday, tomorrow bad things is about to start if I can't help... Sayori. Oh my god, she is the answer to this problem! I turned around to see Monika rubbing her eyes. Her bed hair and tired face has a sort of appeal to it. I shake her gently to tell her of this idea.

" If Sayori doesn't die, the game won't reset and turn into such a mess!" I exclaimed this to her excitingly, like a boy who just got his first kiss.

" I don't think it would be that easy." She shook her head as she said these words.

" He gave us until the next week to help everyone. Here take a look at this." Monika sat up and summoned a school flyer for the festival. I grabbed it and looked at it carefully.

" They're planning to extend the festival for a week?! Who the hell thought about this?" Monika and I just sighed. To think that we have so much work to do. We're going to perform poems for 5 days. At least we might be able to do it.

I stood up and rubbed my temples. To think that Act 2 would still occur. Sayori would at least be here, she could help calm the two down. I stood up and I started to do the normal routine. We showered, got dressed, made breakfast for us and Sayori, we eat, Monika goes ahead and I lock the doors. The entire time me and Monika either talked about the festival or just stayed silent, feeling the warm stares we give each other. I headed for Sayori's house to give her her breakfast and pick her up. I was about to open the door when I heard Sayori singing and playing the guitar. Her voice is melodious but her tone and lyrics is kind of bittersweet. The tune of the guitar is cheerful, yet it has hints of sadness in some areas. I listened to the song, and no doubt about it, it's about regret yet happiness. She regrets bringing me to the literature club but she is happy I'm making new friends is basically the message she is saying. Suddenly, I heard a string snap and Sayori's disappointed groan. I finally decide to knock on the door. With a cheerful voice, I called out to her.

" Sayori! I made breakfast for you! It's vegetable curry." I heard Sayori put down her guitar and ran to the door. She ooened the door but did not get out.

" Oh, hello Yoku! Hold on, let me just put some things away." I nodded and she grabbed the guitar and ran upstairs to her room. A while later, she comes down and we proceed to follow our morning routine.

" You know Yoku, you're right! I need to start looking at the world more positively. After all, if you can do it, so can I! Right?" I nodded energetically to Sayori. It's nice to see her like this, slowly getting happier and happier everyday.

" But you know Yoku, there is still just a few more rainclouds in the sky. But those are the darkest ones Yoku. I can't really handle those kinds of rainclouds." I see her clench her chest. But her eyes, I could see a faint determination in them.

" Then let me help you, Sayori! Let us help you." Sayori paused for a moment, then shook her head.

" Thank you, Yoku, but I'm sorry. This rainclouds are ones I must face alone." She let out a pained smile. But she managed to shake it off and ran ahead of me.

" Last one to school buys the winner some snacks!" Sayori dashed ahead of me, but I caught up to her quickly.

Sayori managed to beat me by a hair's breadth. We stopped for a moment to catch our breaths. Holy crap, I'm getting less fit. Sayori grinned at me for a moment before panting.

" I...(pant)... win!" She squeezed a few pants in there as she wheezed out that phrase.

" Ehehe~ (wheeze)... A deal is a deal. Pay up." She grinned before panting for air.

" You beat me! As promised, I'll buy you some food during lunch. Ow! My side hurts!" We laughed as we both slowly walked into our separate classrooms. As I sit down, I heard from my fellow classmates that we are getting a new homeroom teacher today. Soon, the bells ring and we all settled down. The door opened and a young man walked in. Oh god...

" Good Morning everyone! As you know, I'm your new homeroom teacher. The old one got transfered to a new school. My name is Sir Akami Zenno! I look forward to working with you all!" He bowed his head in such a formal yet humble manner, it's like he is bowing his head to gods. But this man... we should be the ones bowing to him. He didn't even bother coming up with a proper name! I decide to just focus on my studies for now, I'll talk to him later.

The first half of the day passed and now it's lunch time. Sayori came to pick me up and we decided to eat in the cafeteria. As we sat down however, I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned around to see it was Sir Akami. He brought two bentos with him

" Mind if I join you guys? I brought lunch for the two of you." Sayori and I looked at each other. I discreetly shook my head at Sayori but Sayori nodded to the god in front of her. Smiling, he took a sit and gave us the lunch he made.

" Sir Akami! Your name sounds so cool! It's like you're saying you're god!" Sayori points out to the god, who was sweating nervously. He shook his head in denial.

" It also means the red, lean meat found near a tuna's spine." I say to Sayori as I unwrap the bento.

" Ahahaha. You're both wrong! It means 'love to play music for the heart, mind and soul.' And it suits me too! I'm a go- I mean a person who likes to play soothing melodies with my flute!" Sayori was clearly impressed by him, I chuckle. I opened the bento to see tonkatsu, shredded cabbages, rice and baby carrots. Sayori also did the same.

" Wow! You made this all by yourself Sir Akami?" Sayori was clearly amazed by this man.

" Yup! Do you like it?" As Sayori took a bite, she immediately nodded and clasped her hands together. She swallowed a mouthful and bowed her head.

" Thank you Akami-sama! Truly you're a god! To think you share such delicious cooking for free!" Sir Akami just rubbed the back of his head.

" Ahahaha, I'm flattered. Anyway, it's nearly time for me to teach. See you guys later!" He got up and patted both of us on the head.

" Sir Akami must be a nice person! He's got the looks, smart and skills to be a good husband!" I just chuckle sarcastically to Sayori.

" I'm sure he is." I said sarcastically but Sayori agreed with me.

As lunch wrapped up, me and Sayori finish our bentos and head to our classrooms. I took the bento to the faculty and placed it on Akami's desk. I head back to the classroom to write another poem. Classes come and went and I managed to finish my poem right before classes ended.

Lake

I sit on the lake's edge,

Thinking silently.

Rocks skipping towards the sunset's warm glow.

A fish jumps and the water ripples.

Then all stood still once again.

I asked the waters,

and they answered.

Not the answer I wanted.

But the answer I needed.

It's crap but it's a poem. I grabbed my stuff and I headed towards the club. I opened the door to see everyone is already there. I sat down and we began to share our poems. I went Sayori first, to see how she has been doing. I was glad that she has managed to fight her depression, I'm still concerned about how she felt me. I read the 'Bottles' poem, not good. I shot her a look of worry, but I decided to hide it. As she finished reading mine, she gave it back.

" You did a great job with this poem Sayori! I hope I can read more of your poems." I let out a smile, but worry and fear gripped my heart.

" Y-yeah... I'll make sure to give you the next poem." As she turned around to sit back down, I shot Monika a worried look.

" Her depression is getting better but her anxiety about me leaving her is still getting worse." I whispered in a rushed tone. Monika pondered about it and sighed.

" Let's just focus on finishing the club meeting. We'll deal with this later." I nod and gave my poem to Yuri. Yuri scrutinized on the possible meaning of the poem.

" Hmm, you're showing potential. Although it's not perfect, it's not bad either." As expected, Yuri likes to analyze the poems I make.

" I'm happy that you're improving your writing skills. I hope you come to me if you need help in literature." Yuri smiled and placed her hand on top of mine. Surprised, I recoiled at the cold touch of her hand.

" Oh! I-I'm really s-sorry! I-I thought... Um..." She played with a long strand of her hair as she blushed and become more embarrassed.

" N-no, it's ok. I was just surprised by you. So I'm also sorry for my reaction." I chuckled to ease the tension between us.

" Lets just... forget about what have happened." Yuri is still playing with her hair, yet her hands are fidgety.

" Oh, sure..." I stood up, thanked Yuri and left to talk with Natsuki.

"..." I stood behind Natsuki, who was doing her best to ignore me. I stood there for a couple more minutes as she read her manga. She finally stand up and turned to face me.

" Ok, what the hell do you want you weirdo?! Stop standing behind me like a perv... it creeps me out." She huffed at me and with her pink eyes, looked at me with disgust.

" I wanted to share my poem with you, but I see that you're reading a manga. I didn't want to disturb you so... yeah... that..." I rubbed the back of my head and stared at the floor.

" Ugh, god, why are you like this Yoku. Here, just... take it." She pushed her poem into the palm of my hand. The 'Amy Likes Spiders' poem, I was always intrigued by this.

" Hey Natsuki, what kind of manga do you like to read?" Natsuki's eyes lit up for a moment, before scoffing at me.

" Ha! As if you are willing to buy me any manga." As she chuckled, I pulled out my phone and opened a manga reader app.

" You're right. I'm not willing to buy you manga, but here. It allows you to read any manga you like." At first she was skeptical, but as she took my phone, a smile appeared on her face.

" _Geez,_ to think I could have saved money just by downloading an app." We both laugh at each other.

" Wait, before I forget. I need to give you my number." As I took back my phone, I noticed Natsuki's face turned as pink as her hair.

" W-what the h-hell? I-I don't... fine. Here, give me your phone." As she grabbed my phone and started typing in the digits of her number, I saw that she was trying to hide a smile.

" I... I'll call you if I need you. So you better not ignore it!" She said to me teasingly. We both laughed and I once again talked to Monika last.

" You know I get jealous easily, right?" Monika frowned at me.

" Sorry, sorry. I just feel that I might accidentally spend all my time in the club with just you. Not that I hate it, I actually want to spend more time with you!" I softly whispered to Monika, who just giggled. We took a sit and began to chat.

" Soo... what do you like about me?" Her eyes have hints of curiosity. Her fingers locked together and her chin rested on them.

" Where do I start... I know! Your green eyes are the first. I love it's color, and the way it has such a hypnotizing effect on me. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about your stare~" I quietly said these words, in fear the others may hear them. A streak of red crossed on Monika's angelic face. She had such a warm yet mischievous smile on her face.

" Oh really? I guess I should start staring at you more. You know, a study was once conducted to see if people who stared into the eyes of a complete stranger would fall in love with them. After 30 minutes of staring and talking about their personal life, they found out that around 30-60% of the couples said that they felt more 'connected'or 'in love' with their partner. Could it be, that I've managed to win your heart just by staring? Ahaha~" She tilts her head a little. I felt my heart race due to her cuteness. I managed to move my lips even when I'm under her trance.

" Your beautiful smile! It's reassuring to see that you are smiling! It somehow makes me feel calm when I see your smile. Your intelligence and wit also impress me. I always wish I could be as smart you. But the thing I like about you most is... you. The way all of this just blends together as you, that is what I like most about you." Monika just stared at me, speechless. The blush that used to cover only her cheek spread throughout the entirety of her face. She covered her face with her hands to hide it.

" E-everyone! I-I think it's t-time to... g-g-go home." I could hear her breathing heavily and in short intervals.

" Monika, are you ok?" Sayori asked Monika. Everyone else looked at us with a concerned look on their faces.

" I'm f-fine Sayori! Don't worry! But could I please talk to Yoku in private?" Monika gave Sayori a reassuring smile. Sayori nods.

" Ok, guess I'm walking home alone today! Ehehe. Bye Yoku!" Sayori waved as she left the classroom. Yuri and Natsuki followed after and closed the door behind them. I looked at Monika, who now had a scary grin on her face.

" M-Monika? A-are you mad at me?" I slowly backed away. Monika's green eyes now had a sort of crazed and predatory look. It has only one focus, me.

" Mad? Ahaha~ Don't be silly! I just want to show you how much I'm flattered by your words." She pushed me into a chair. She licked her lips and slowly leaned closer into me.

" You know... I really am dissapointed in myself. I wanted to save everyone before taking you for myself. But... hearing those words, I can't hold myself any longer." I was scared as she places herself on top of me, yet I cn sense excitement in my heart.

" Close your eyes my love~" She whispered teasingly into my ear. I did as she said and prepared for the inevitable.

I felt her soft breathing on my lips, it was warm and humid. I started to move my hands, refusing to just sit by. I placed my left hand on her cheek and cupped it. Using my right hand, I pulled her waist closer to mine, and as I closed the gap between our bodies, so did the gaps between our lips. For a moment, the world seemed to stop. Soon, we started to move once again. We became more adventurous with our tounges, exploring more of each other's mouth. A passionate exchange of saliva happened between us. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me closer. Soon, our lips parted so that we could catch our breaths. We pressed our foreheads together as we panted.

" That... was... amazing." I barely managed to wheeze out those words.

" Yes, it was." Monika giggled at me. We kissed each other once again, but not as passionately as our first, just a brief and short one.

" Let's continue this later, dear~ Teehee~" She teasingly booped my nose and got off me.

" Heh, sure. I'll be waiting at the house, love." I smiled as I got up from the chair and grabbed my bag. We looked at each other sweetly and held hands. We opened the door, still holding hands, and prepared to walk home together.

" Yuko! I was waiting for you!" Surprised, I immediately let go of Monika's hand and turned to the direction of the voice.

" S-Sayori! Y-you're still not home?" Sayori stood in the middle of the hallway, smiling. She shook her head at me.

" I forgot something in the classroom I and decided to also wait for you after I grabbed it." Monika and I were wide eyed and sweating. We were nervous. Did Sayori found out about what we did?

" Anyway, what are you two still doing here?" Sayori asked us. We hesitated to answer her at first, but Monika managed to answer.

" We... Uhh... cleaned the clubroom! Yup! We wanted it to be squeaky clean tomorrow." Monika gulped and shivered. We waited anxiously as we waited for Sayori's reaction.

" Oh! You should have said so! I could have helped you guys!" I felt a gush of relief flood trough my body.

" Sorry Sayori! We didn't want to disturb you. I felt like this should be a job for the club president. Yoku here just forced me to accept help." Monika's acting skills are just amazing. I would be believe her if I didn't knew what happened. Sayori then pouted at her. She said she didn't really mind cleaning.

" Anyway, how long were you waiting for me? It's almost 5 in thd afternoon!" Sayori thought about it.

" I got here just before you guys went outside the room." We let out a sigh of relief.

" I think it's best if we go home now." I smiled to Sayori. She nodded and ran ahead of us. Monika and I smiled and walked forward.

 **\--**

( Sayori's POV)

I was right... I am losing Yoku. I'm losing Yoku to the very person I look up to. But it's ok, just think happy thoughts... happy thoughts...

happy thoughts...


	6. Preparation

The three of us walked home together for some time. Sayori was pretty happy about it. But as Monika neared her house, I noticed that Sayori seems to have gotten quieter. Monika said goodbye and left, leaving me and Sayori alone together. I realized something was wrong today. For the past two days, she constantly glances towards me, but today, she just stared at the sidewalk. I wanted to talk to her about it when she suddenly asks me a question.

" Hey... Do you like... anyone in the literature club?" She had her head turned away from me. I thought about what to say and gulped.

" I...I like everyone there!" I tried to laugh to lift the tense atmosphere around us. There was a silence for moment between us, then Sayori chuckled and turned to me.

" I'm glad then! I hope you continue to become closer with everyone." She had a smile that was so sincere, yet I know. That smile is one that hides great pain. As I nod to acknowledge her wish, I swore I heard Sayori murmur 'liar' under her breath.

" Hey, is something wrong Sayori? You seem to be a tad bit more silent today. Did anything happen?" I wanted to at least get some hints, but she just shook her head lightly.

" Not really. I just don't feel well. Ehehe." She chuckled and rubbed her head. The rest of the walk continued in silence. As we reach her house, Sayori simply said " Goodbye" and ran inside.

As soon as the door closed, I ran towards my house. I unlocked the door and dashed to my room. Monika hasn't arrived yet, so I decide to wait for her in the living room. After a while, lines of code started appearing beside me. Soon, those lines of code took form and Monika appeared. At first she was smiling, hoping to greet me sweetly. But as soon as she saw my grim expression, she became worried.

" I think Sayori... is still heading towards 'that' path." She sighed and started thinking.

" Why? What could have pushed her? Could it be, the game's code is still in effect?" We thought about it for a while. As I thinked about it, I saw Monika clenched her fist.

" Dammit! If only I could still access the game's logs! I could see what everyone is doing. The only things I could do is summon items, teleport by moving data, see the location of characters and items, send messages, and manipulate some of the game files." She sighed and shook her head.

" Wait, let me just list down the stuff we should do." Monika nods and I went trough the contents of my bag.

" That's strange. My favorite pen is gone. It was a pretty nice pen. It has a nice stroke and it's really comfy. I wonder where it is. Bah! A pencil will do for now!" But as I grab the pencil from under my bag, I notice the notebook Akami-sama gave me. I pulled it out and looked at Monika.

" Let's use it. I need to know the gist of everyone's situation." Monika hesitated at first, but she agreed. I opened the notebook and looked at the first page.

 _Quick note!_

 _Everytime you close the notebook, it registers that you have finished using it. To further elaborate on the interval detail, you'll start off with a 15 second interval for every log. It exponentially increases the more you use the book. The logs show events based on the POV of the person you want to read about._

 _From_

 _God-kun_

We turned the page to see the game's log for Monday.We skipoed a few pages to find the one for today. At first, it only showed the data of what everyone was doing during the morning. My heart was in pain when I saw that before Natsuki left her house, she got slapped by her father for accidentally waking him up. As we continued, I finally found where my pen is.

 **Time: 6:00 pm Location: Yuri's Bedroom**

 _Yuri finished writing her poem with Yoku's pen. Yuri stares at it for three seconds. Yuri jumps on her bed. Yuri starts pleasuring herself with said pen. Yuri is varying her movements from a slow pace to a fast pace. Yuri muffles. her moans with a pillow. Yuri keeps moaning Yoku's name. Yuri climaxes after 30 seconds._

Monika and I turned to another page. Disturbed at what we just read. But as we skim the logs, we saw something horrifying. It just happened around 10 minutes ago.

 **Time: 5:50 pm Location: In front of Sayori's house.**

 _Sayori checks to see if Yoku is not outside. Sayori quickly runs to the trashcan. Sayori rummage trough it to find the rope she threw out yesterday. Sayori contemplates suicide. Sayori decides to do it in a later date. She thinks about what she saw earlier._

My heart dropped as I read those words. I was deeply saddened about Sayori. Monika however, is much more troubled by this. But we noticed we overlooked something, the last sentence. I skimmed a few more logs until I found it. The time were Monika and I shared our first kiss.

 **Time: 4:57 pm Location: Club Room**

 _Monika and Yoku indulged in the pleasure of their first kiss in the club room. Sayori decides to return to the club room after she escorts Yuri and Natsuki to the school gates. Sayori heard the sound of Monika and Yoku's exchange. Sayori stood outside with a hand on her mouth to muffle her sobbing. Sayori suppresses her tears. Sayori stood silent for two minutes. Monika and Yoku had an exchange and left the room holding hands. Sayori notices this but ignores it._

My heart sinked even deeper. I looked at the log, speechless. My mind was being torn apart like pieces of paper. To think, I caused such pain to Sayori and be oblivious to it. I rubbed my temples to try and ease my confusion and shock. I turned towards Monika to ask if she wants to eat anything. I saw Monika had such a sad look in her eyes. Tears were forming in the corners of her dazzling green eyes. She covered her mouth with a hand in shock. I gritted my teeth, I already expected this things, but not the guilt it caused. I stood up, and placed the notebook on the table, careful as nkt to close it.

" Hey, I'm making mac and cheese for us. I think it's best if we eat first before being hunged up on such a mistake. It's better to just deal with it tomorrow." I turned around to go to the kitchen. I look back one last time to see Monika huddled up on the sofa and quietly sobbing. I wrings my heart to see her like this.

Tomorrow, if events play out like the game, Sayori would leave early from school. Agrh!!! I can't cook with thoughts like this clouding my head! I sighed and groaned in dismay. I can't let myself be discouraged. I opened the refrigerator and took out any ingredients I need. As I placed them on the counter to begin to prepare them, I see my hands falter due to the guilt I'm feeling.

" Hey! Don't beat yourself up over Sayori. It is not your fault that she saw what you guys did." A calm and soothing voice spoke from behind me. I turned around to see Akami-sama, smiling.

" You still have some time Yoku, don't give up. If you let your heart falter in such a moment, then all your problems cannot be solved! You must have the resolve and will of a rock to save these girls!" I somehow felt a rush of inspiration run trough me.

" B-but... I'm just causing Sayori to be more depressed..." I clenched my fists and trembled due to the regret and guilt I felt.

" Nonsense! Haven't you seen her this past few days?! She has been steadily getting better! She is just... trying to process the thought of learning that the one she loves loves the person she looks up to." He tried to cheer me up, but the last sentence really stung me in the heart. Akami-sama notices this and sighs.

" Just, don't give up on them. Okay?" With that, opened a portal and walked trough it.

" Never falter, Yoku. I must not falter! I have to save this girls!" With those words to myself, I managed to calm myself. I started making the mac and cheese. I noticed that Monika made her way to the kitchen and sat down on the dining table. She had a dull and sullen look on her face.

" Monika... what's wrong?" She looks up unenthusiastically to face me.

" I'm just... regretting what I did. If I wasn't so selfish, then Sayori would not have seen that." She once again hang her head, her green eyes filled with guilt and sorrow.

" I... I too, am guilty that we have done that in front of Sayori. But what's done is done. But I don't regret those moments with you, I regret the damage it caused." As I stirred the macaroni, I noticed Monika slightly perk up.

" Since we got into this mess together, we get out of it together. What do you say, my love?" I smiled to Monika in order to confort her.

" That determination is one of the many reasons I fell for you, Yoku!" Monika still had sone tones of sadness with her voice, but I see that I was successful in cheering her up, even if just a little.

As I finished cooking the mac and cheese, we talked about the wonders of my world. She would jump from one topic to another in an effort to maximize the knowledge she could get. She would ask about the different jobs or the tallest buildings to the many great wars and how peace was established once again. I tried my best to answer most of this questions but from time to time, I gave her a light shrug on the topics I don't know. Soon, she started asking about my hobbies.

" Oh? So you actually draw manga? I'd like to read one of your works sometime!" I chuckled.

" Yeah, I published a light novel once. Thankfully, it sold well. I was glad it wasn't a total flop like I hoped to be. After that, I retired from drawing." As I laughed at this, a small portal appeared in front of Monika.

" Here! I bought the manga for you." A box filled with all the chapters of my manga plopped down on the table.

" Thanks! Akami-sama!" The portal closed immediately, and Monika started reading.

" Anyway, here, the mac and cheese is finished. It has 4 different cheeses with sour cream mixed in. Enjoy!" I placed a plate in front of her.

" Thank you! By the way, I didn't know you could draw and write so well Yoku!" She was engrossed in my manga. I took a sit and began to eat.

" So you're a fan of fantasy worlds Yoku?" She peeks from the top of my manga. I nod to her and I swallow the food in my mouth.

" Yup! Especially the genre 'Isekai'. It's basically about the main character being transported to another world." We both thought about it for a moment, and we laughed.

" Oh my god! You're in an anime right now! Ahaha! You even sit in the very back, near the window during school." We both laugh at this.

" Maybe I am. Or maybe, I'm in a visual novel. Either way, I'm glad I'm here with you." Silence slowly hung in the air. Both of us were blushing. Thankfully, Monika decides to break the silence.

" So... uh... Tomorrow, is the day I talk with Sayori. I'm a little worried." I thought about it, then I remembered Monika tried to talk woth Sayori in game and it really made her feel more depressed.

" I'm still guilty about all the things I said to her back then. I told her some really horrible stuff, like how much you hate to be around her." I sighed, I looked at her and held her hand.

" I'm pretty sure that was you following the script. Now, you can say what you want. I'll need you to reassure Sayori tomorrow. I'll handle the rest from there." Monika nods and I let go of her hands.

We finished up eating our dinner and cleaning the dishes. As I went to the bathroom to shower, I remember to grab the notebook from downstairs. As I carefully grabbed the noteboom, careful as to not close it, a log popped up.9

 **Time: 7:03 pm Location: Natsuki's house**

Natsuki's dad returned home after a night of drinking. Natsuki was doing her assignments in the living room. Natsuki's dad vented his anger on her. He threw a bottle of beer towards her. Natsuki was paralyzed with fear as she saw the shards of glass around her. He went up to Natsuki and began to physically and verbally abuse her. 2 minutes later he let go of Natsuki's shirt and went inside his room to sleep. Natsuki went inside her room and proceeded to muffle her weeping with pillows.

I felt bad for her, no, I symphatize with her. To know that the very monster that terrorizes you is found in the place where you should feel safe. I placed the notebook in my room, and took a towel.

As I take a shower, I can't seem to shake off the bad feeling I have in my gut. The warm water that rolled down my back seemed to ease my mind, even for just a few moments. After I finished, I slowly crawled into bed. Monika was already lying on her side of the bed. I crawled beside her slowly. Monika smiled sweetly at me, her entrancing green eyes stared into mine. We tried to cuddle with each other, yet the thought about what happened with Sayori troubled us. In the end, we just settled sleeping with our backs turned towards each other. I just sighed and closed my eyes so that I could prepare myself for tomorrow.


	7. Almost There

_I gently open the door to see Sayori's corpse hanging from the ceiling._ _Her bloodied fingers and her empty blue eyes leave a scar on my mind. I couldn't save her... I... I failed... I failed her once again..._ I woke up from my nightmare. Cold sweat was dripping from my face and my body was trembling. The alarm clock didn't really help at all to calm me down. I was breathing and panting heavily. Monika immediately woke up due to this and tried to calm me down. At first it was hard, but her gentle touch and her soothing words managed to calm me down at last. I felt tears suddenly run down my cheeks. I embraced Monika tightly and firmly.

" I don't want to lose Sayori again! Not again!" I sob on Monika's shoulder.

" I don't want to lose her too. That is why we must try our hardest to save her." She pats me on my back. It calms me down a little.

" I'll try my hardest to encourage her. Yoku, she needs you now more than ever, So please, don't get discouraged to help her." She pulled away from my embrace and cupped my cheek in the palm of her hand. Her green eyes and warn smile made some of my doubts go away.

" Thank you Monika, but I still am worried about her." I got out of bed and rubbed my eyes. I decide I should at least try my best in comforting Sayori.

Once again, we did our morning routine but this time, more solemn and tense. We ate the reheated mac and cheese in silence. We either are too busy thinking about Sayori or just appreciating each other's company. The few words that left our mouths are either plans on how to stop Sayori's suicide, or exchanges of intellectual thoughts or the passionate exchanges between lovers. Once Monika left for school, I decided to look into the log book once again.

 **Time: 7:00 am Location: Sayori's Bedroom**

 _Sayori sits on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Sayori already took a shower and put on her uniform, but due to her sadness, decides to just lay in bed. Sayori decides to sleep in and skip school for today._

I took a deep breath and sighed heavily. I grabbed the breakfast I prepared for us and went to her house. As I walked to her house, I could feel my heartbeat become faster and louder. I stood in front of Sayori's door yet I hesitated to knock. No, I must do this! I took a deep breath and knocked on Sayori's door.

" S-Sayori? Are you up yet? We might be late for school if you're still sleeping." I waited for a response. A moment of deafening silence is my response. I was about to bust trough the door to see if Sayori is ok, but I heard the sound of slow footsteps going downstairs. The door opened to see a disheveled and sullen on Sayori. She was already wearing her uniform, but it has creases in some parts. She forced a smile and clenched her fists.

" Yoku... You wanted to walk to school together with me?" She stammered out these words.

" Of course Sayori! I enjoy walking with you every morning." Sayori seemed to wince as I said this words. I sighed and walked up to her.

" Sayori, is... something troubling you?" Sayori looked down and went silent.

" No. I'm fine. Let's just go to school." Sayori walked ahead of me, but I noticed something.

She walked differently today, instead of her usual perky and energetic walk, it was the opposite, she was slow and disoriented. Her usually bright blue eyes are now empty and hollow. She walked silently beside me, refusing to look at me all the way to the school. As we reach the school gates, Sayori just muttered a goodbye and ran ahead of me.

" God dammit! I just want you to be saved Sayori..." I muttered to myself as I walked inside the campus.

The classes come and went once again. Lunch rolled by, but instead of eating with Sayori, I sat alone in the cafeteria. Akami-sama has some work to do while Monika had something to do in the classroom. I looked around to see Natsuki sitting on a small table with Yuri. I got up and joined them. They were surprised at first, but they let me sit with them. After I settled down, they resume their argument about manga.

" I told you Yuri, manga is a form of literature! It tells a story and presents all the needed parts for a form of literature." Natsuki proudly states her argument.

" Yes, but it relies mostly on pictures and not words. It shouldn't be classified under literature, it should be classified under visual arts." Yuri calmly retorts. Natsuki was taken aback by this. Natsuki then shifts her focus towards me.

" Wait a minute... why is Sayori not with you Yoku?" Yuri rolls her eyes at the sudden change of topic.

" She, well, isn't feeling well..." I murmur to myself, but loud enough to be heard by the two.

" Is she ok? That's a sudden change. Yesterday she was so energetic. Did she catch something?" Natsuki was clearly worried about Sayori.

" I do hope Sayori could attend the club. She doesn't fail to lighten up the mood in the club." Yuri plays with her hair, but she too is worried.

" I'll try my best to convince her to come." I sighed and ate the last bite of my protein bar. At the corner of my eye, I saw something purple. I looked at Natsuki's sleeve and saw a pretty ugly bruise near her wrist. She saw this nd immediately pulled down her sleeve.

" _You didn't see anything._ " She silently whispers to me. I nod in response. Yuri was about to say something when the bell rang.

" Oh, time to go. See you guys later at the club." I waved goodbye as I quickly ran to my classroom.

As the last four classes come and go, I managed to finish the poem I've been working on. It was about the situation I'm in.

 _The Path_

 _It was still morning yet I'm lost,_

 _In the woods still covered in frost._

 _I ran and ran to find the way,_

 _but now I cry out in dismay._

 _But as hope faded in my eyes,_

 _I hear the flight of butterflies._

 _I looked far and saw a bright light._

 _Stirring in me the will to fight._

I was pretty proud about this. I placed it in my pocket for safekeeping. As the last class was dismissed, I hurried out the door towards Sayori's classroom. I managed to find her just a moment before she went home.

" Hey, are you not going to the club today?" I ask with a soft tone.

" Oh, I... just feel a little bit under the weather, that's all." She laughed it off, but I know it, she is in pain.

" Sayori... I understand, but... can't you spend at least a few minutes in the club? Everyone is worried about you... I'm worried about you." I walk up to her, but I stop. She slowly backed away as I appreached her.

" Yoku... ok, I'll spend at least 10 minutes there, then I'm going home." She gave me a pained smile before we went to the Literature Club.

We went inside the club room and saw the three of them waiting for us there. Monika and Natsuki had a worried look on their faces, while Yuri had a concerned expression. We sat down and Yuri immediately went to make tea. Natsuki and Monika approach us and sat down.

" Hey Sayori! You've been down lately, what's bothering you?" Natsuki asked Sayori as she held her hand. Sayori glanced at me, but she shakes her head.

" It's... nothing. I'm just tired, that's all." Natsuki nods, but her worried look still hasn't left her face.

" You know Sayori, if you ever feel down or sad, talk to us. After all, everyone in the literature club is a family to one another, and as Club President, the happiness and well-being of everyone is my concern." Monika pats Sayori's head a little. Sayori smiled a little, but was still clearly sad.

" Natsuki, Yoku, give the two of us some privacy. I really want to talk with Sayori here in private." Before Natsuki could question Monika, I grab Natsuki's hand and leads her to Yuri.

" H-Hey! W-watch where you're touching m-me! Idiot!" I let go of Natsuki's hand as we reached Yuri. She wiped her hand off with a tissue from the desk. She accidentally drops it but Yuri picks it up quickly. Natsuki and I throw her a strange look.

" I-I'll throw it away! Besides, I'm going to the comfort room anyway, so it won't be a hustle for me." Yuri's breathing was fast yet heavy, she was shivering. For a moment, I saw a glimpse of something else in her eyes and then, she was back to being the timid and shy Yuri. Natsuki just shrugged it off as something Yuri does.

I looked at Monika and Sayori, who seemed to be in a serious and heartfelt talk. They talked quietly with each other. The door opened as Yuri walked out the room and Natsuki just sat down and read manga. I however, just stood there, waiting anxiously at the result of their talk.

( Monika's POV)

I opened Sayori's character file in the backround in case anything happens. Sayori and I sat silently across each other. I broke the silence first.

" Sayori, do you like spending time in the literature club?" Sayori was silent at first, playing with her fingers or ribbon. But after a while, she answered.

" Yes, I loved spending time here in the literature club. But now... I just keep feeling pain here." Sayori slumped into her seat.

" Tell me why, so that I may be able to help you." I know it's not right for me to say this, but I want to hear it from her. It's for her own good.

" Yoku, Yoku is the reason. I wanted to make him friends with everyone because he seemed sad lately. At first it was fine, seeing him happy made me happy too, infact, he has been helping me cope with my problems this past few days. But I feel like I'm losing him... I'm losing my best friend." Tears began to drop from her eyes, yet she continued to keep her pained and forced smile on her face.

" I'm a horrible person Monika. I'm so selfish, really selfish. I wanted Yoku to gain more friends and now that he has those friends, I regret doing it. I realized that I wanted Yoku for myself, but I can't help thinking, does he want me?" She continued to sob, causing my heart to ache at the sight.

" Let's face it Monika, I'm worthless and pitiful. I'm not as bright or amazing as you, I'm not as beautiful as Yuri and I'm not as strong as Natsuki. If I take Yoku for myself, we'll just wallow in our depression together. Look at me Monika, I just force myself to stick with Yoku like a parasite. He can't even think about his own depression due to me. I have forced him to constantly think about me and my problem. He would trouble himself by going to my house early in the morning to make sure I'm ready to go to school. Just how useless I am? How much trouble do I cause to poor Yoku?" Sayori buried her face in her hands and wept quietly. I placed a hand on her shoulder.

" Sayori... Please stop. Don't think of yourself like this. Yoku doesn't think of you as a burden, in fact, Yoku is really worried about you. He doesn't want to lose a friend like you. He worries about you everyday because he cares for you. You're a wonderful friend Sayori, and we all know that. You're the one that makes the literature club a welcoming place for all of us. You have the one thing all of us don't have, the sweetest smile in the world. And that is what makes you an important member of the club. Look, Yoku is also battling his depression, and if you give up, so will he. So please Sayori, I urge you not to give up. Everyone here in the club will support you every step of the way, so please... don't give up Sayori." Tears were flowing down my cheeks. I let go of Sayori and she looks at me. Her frown was still there, but disappearing. Her eyes may still be dull and empty, but a small glimmer is now shining, even if just a little. We hug each other tightly. I pat her a little on her back. I hope she would remember my words in her heart.

" Thank you Monika. I'm ok now, but may I please go home early?" I reluctantly agreed, but I warned her to call us if something happens. She simply nods and stood up.

( Yoku's POV)

After they finished embracing each other, Sayori said goodbye and left the club early. Monika sighed and looked at me.

" How did it go?" I asked her anxiously.

" I'm not sure. I think we have to keep watch over her." We both sighed. Worry has filled our hearts, and for good reason. I told Monika to decide about what to do with the club during the festival.

We drew up some basic outlines for what we plan to do on our poem presentation. Since it's a week long event, we guess it would be best if we stick to some sort of theme for each day. Everyone agrees with this plan. Monika continues to lay out the groundwork for the activity on a notebook. We decided to basically start picking out the themes for each day. After that was done, we shared some poems with each other, but we couldn't really focus since Sayori isn't here. Soon, Monika concluded the today's meeting and we all left for our homes.

I reached my house around 5 in the afternoon. I opened the door to hear nd smell the wonderful aroma of something cooking. As I walked towards the kitchen, I could her Monika sing 'Your Reality'. I entered the kitchen to see something that nearly gave me a heart attack. Monika was cooking dinner with a naked apron. I stood still for a moment in utter shock, trying to process what I'm seeing. She noticed me and turned around with a cute twirl like a ballerina.

" Do you like it, Yo~~ku?" She said teasingly before winking at me. My heart started to race.

" I... Uhm... Uh... Ye... Like it... me... Uhhh..." I said this incoherent jumble of words due to my btain short-circuiting.

" Teehee~ Glad you did! Cause I ain't wearing this again ever again." She laughed sadisticly. She continued to make our dinner as I settled into a chair.

Monika was making sautéed vegetables. As she cooked, we talked about how I managed to become so skilled at cooking. I told her that I became so good at cooking because I really wanted to impress my family and friends. But mostly, to impress my old crush.

" Oh? You used to like another girl? Tell me more about her." She pressed me to tell stories about my life. I wanted to steer clear of this, but I gave in.

" Fine, but if I have to tell you about her, I have to tell you my life story." I sighed, and began to tell my story.

" I used to live with my mom and dad when I was younger, but sadly, ny dad died. I had an older brother and sister who was just finishing college at the time, they decided to spread their wings and move out during that time. My mom couldn't really handle this and decided to start venting it out on me. At first, it started as simple verbal attacks, then it escalated slowly. Couple this with the bullying I received in elementary school, and it was a recipe for depression. When I reached high school, it was normal for me to come home and get beaten up with a belt or something hard. There even came a point in my life, when my depression has become so hard to deal with, I thought of killing myself. But before the day I decided to kill myself, I met her." I paused for a moment, for I could still remember her face clearly. Monika finished her cooking and served me a plate. She sat beside me and with those green eyes, looked at me with concern.

" I can't remember her last name now, but her name was Erina. She was a great person. She was strong in all aspects. She was able to compete in different athletic competitions and many intellectual competitions. Yet, even with such fame, she stayed humble. This girl invited me to join the newly formed anime club in my school. I met most of my friends there. My grades also started to get higher, to the point where I was a straight A's student for some time. It was a pretty nice time in life. But you know, all good things come to an end. I really looked up to that girl, in fact, I really liked her. But one day, I found out that she had to transfer schools due to her parent's work. I was really saddened by this. Even a year later, I still am." I simply smiled it off, this feeling of deep sadness and pain.

" I'm... sorry. I did not know you bad such a history." Her green eyes filled with regret and Monika bit her lower lip. I smiled at her and held her hand.

" It's ok. I'm here with you now! Besides, I feel that couples should share personal stuff with each other." Monika nods and smiles. We began to eat, while still chatting about the stuff in my world. Once again, we follow our usual routine at night. We take a shower, slip into our pajamas and begin to sleep. This time however. we cuddle once again into each other's arms.

We woke up to the sound of my alarm and did the usual routine. Bath, Uniform, cook breakfast, eat and go to school. Monika, left earlier than me as usual. I always hate the part where she leaves me earlier. I went over to Sayori's house. I knocked in her door to see if she is already up. After a moment, the door opens to reaveal a sad and sullen Sayori in her uniform, but she seems to be better off today than yesterday. She muttered only a simple 'Good Morning' and she began to walk in silence. At least today she could manage a response to the small talk I initiated between us. We reached school, and this time, Sayori decides to turn to me.

" Hey, Yoku. I'm really sorry if I've been really down lately. I'll just... talk to you about it later. Bye!" Sayori once again dashes towards her classroom. Damn it Yoku! All your progress on Monday and Tuesday is lost. I groaned and headed for ny classroom.

After classes ended, I dashed for the club room. Sayori wasn't there, she left early. I sighed and took a sit si that we can begin. We first shared our poems before we started planning for the festival. The events transpired like what happened in the game. Monika told everyone that we'll be performing and reciting our poems in front of everyone and etcetera. It was like I was playing the game once again, then, the moment of truth came. The three argued about who should I help and in the end, came to me to decide.

" I choose..." Everyone waited for my answer anxiously. Should I pick Monika, the ond I love? Natsuki? Someone who cannot easily do their job? Or Yuri, the one who clearly wants to spend time with me? I pondered and thought about this, until an idea popped up.

" I choose... Everyone!" I smiled nervously as the two let out a loud 'HUH?!". The two were baffled by my decision.

" Y-you see, won't it make sense to just help everyone here? Sayori just lives next door and Monika is helping her, so I'm sure they'll finish earlier and help us do the tasks. Right?" Monika laughed nervously while I waited for their response.

" B-but I... I, nevermind. As long as you can keep up with the two of us then I don't mind." Natsuki huffed at me. She then proceeded to angrily grab a manga and read.

" I-I'm fine with it... but... is it okay for you to have this many people at your house?" Yuri asked sheepishly.

" Yup! Anyway, let's get this meeting wrapped up. I want to check on Sayori as soon as possible." Everyone nodded in response to me and prepared to go home.

" Okay everyone! I guess this wraps up our meeting for today!" Yuri and Natsuki wave goodbye as they left. After Monika and I cleaned up the classroom and left home, I told her what has happened.

" Our situation is slowly deteriorating. Yoku, For now... I think it's best if we just wait until Sunday to see what's gonna happen." I nod and we left the campus. Before we could leave the school grounds however, we heard footsteps running towards us.

" You two! Wait!" We heard Akami-sama call out to us.

" You're gonna need this!" He pulled out something from his pocket.


	8. Healing

Akami-sama pulled out a small wallet from his pocket. He tossed it towards me and I managed to catch it. It was a brown wallet with a heart key chain. The wallet is pretty heavy, and I can hear the jingling of coins when I shake it.

" I got you into this mess, and it's up to me to help you out of this. Now, if you excuse me, I have stuff to do." He chuckled and waved goodbye to us.

" Geez, he is too nice of a god." I muttered to myself. Monika giggled and we proceeded to head home.

On the way, Monika and I kept talking about how to save everyone. We already have a plan for Sayori and Yuri, but what about Natsuki? Her threat does not come from herself, it comes from an external force, her father. Monika suggested on deleting him as a last resort. I shot her an angry look.

" He may be an asshole Monika, but he is still Natsuki's dad." I exclaimed sternly. Monika shook her head and sighed.

" You're right, it would end up hurting Natsuki more. Anyway, here we are, your house." I looked infront of me and we were standing infront of my house. I walked up to the door and twisted the knob.

I opened the lights inside to provide some brightness to the dark interior. I went upstairs to check on the log book. Thankfully, no one seems to be doing anything harmful to themselves. I let out a sigh of relief and went downstairs. Monika was pacing back and forth in the living room. She kept murmuring incoherent words and phrases. I walked up to her and patted her on the head. She stared at me with a scared look in her eyes.

" It's going to be okay. If we keep our heads together, I'm sure we could come up with a solution to this." I smiled and embraced her to try and reassure her.

" Thanks Yoku, but I can't shake off this feeling of something going wrong. I just have my doubts about this." She embraced me tighter. Her tone was shaky and scared. She clenched her hands as she embraced me.

" Don't worry Monika, everything is gonna be fine. We just need to prevent Sayori from killing herself." I pulled away from our hug. I cupped her cheek, and flashed her a warm smile.

" Now, would you like some coffee?" Monika nods and I pat her head one last time.

" I'll go brew some coffee. Sit here." I kissed her cheek and sat her down on the sofa.

As I brewed the coffee grounds, I looked at the black, liquid gold that oozed from the filter paper. I looked back at Monika, who was watching some documentary about penguins. I smiled and filled two mugs with coffee. I carefully walk towards her. I placed her mug on the coffeetable and sit beside her. She leaned her head on my shoulder and began to purr.

" I wish everyday could be like this." I took a sip from my mug and smiled.

" Yes... I would like that very much. But we need to save everyone for that to come true." Monika groaned and wrap her arm around my free hand.

" Relax Yoku... Let's, think about something else for now." She rubbed my arm. For a moment, I felt my troubles melt away due to her soothing voice and warm smile.

We kept our eyes on the notebook every few minutes. The constant threat of Sayori committing suicide made us restless. Midnight is fast approaching as we continued to binge-watch Re:Zero. At some point, Monika summoned some blankets and chips so we that we can cuddle in it and eat snacks. We finished the Whale Arc when we noticed something in the log book. It was different, because the time and location are just question marks

 **Time: ??:?? Location: ????**

 _He lays on the floor of his domain, reeling in searing pain and agony. He feels his power drain from his hands. He tries to create some sort of portal but fails. For now, He rests, unable to move nor speak._

We were both baffled by the strange and cryptic log. It was probably Akami-sama, but why is he in pain? We shrugged it off as one of his weird antics. We continued watching Re:Zero, well into the early morning hours. We finished around 2 in the morning, yet we still wanted to watch more. Monika wanted to watch Toradora, I just agree and pressed play on the remote. Monika summoned a bowl of popcorn and some cola in front of us. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

" I'm gonna get fat because of you, you know?" I pulled her closer to me. She pinched my right cheek and laughed.

" If you get fat, then I'll use you as my pillow then!" She exclaimed before snuggling on my chest. I brushed my fingers trough her brown hair.

" Hey, you always wanted to spend a Friday like this, right?" I whispered to her.

" Yeah... Thank you, Yoku. Another one of my dreams came true because of you." She held my hand and placed it on her cheek.

" You truly are the man of my dreams." She whisper softly. She batted her eyelashes, and leaned closer.

" I love you, Yoku..." She closed her eyes and leaned even closer to my face.

" I love you too Monika..." I kissed her softly. It was still passionate, but it wasn't as steamy or messy as our first. We pulled away after a few moments, but she gave me a look of disappointment, like she wanted more. Amused by this, I kissed her head and stood up.

" Anyway~ I need to stretch my legs a little! The house needs to be cleaned too." I stretched my arms and yawned.

I looked at the clock and saw it was 2:30 am. I groaned and decided to just clean the house later. I slumped back on the sofa and lay the side of my head on Monika's lap. She smiled and giggled at me. She then proceeded to run her fingers trough my hair.

" You want to sleep, Yoku~?" She muses teasingly.

" Uh-huh." I let out a yawn before closing my eyes. I felt her hum the relaxing melody of 'Your Reality' to me. I slowly doze off into a deep and peaceful sleep.

I woke up with my face being gently covered in kisses. Monika held me in her arms and smiled.

" It's time to wake up honey~" She muses as she kissed me on my forehead.

" W-what time is it?" I rubbed my eyes and squinted at her due to the brightness.

" Hmm... around 7:30 am, I think." She lets go of me and I sat up. I look at those beautiful green eyes before I begin the day. I smiled at her before patting her head.

I stretched and yawned before I went to the kitchen. I first brewed some coffee for us. I prepared some eggs and bread to create french toast for the both of us. I took out the bacon to let it thaw in the sink, I missed you old friend. I looked around to see what places needs cleaning. The living roomroom, where Monika was currently sleeping, needs top priority. My room is the second, followed by the kitchen, then the bathroom. I went back to the kitchen and prepared to make french toast.

I beat two eggs in a bowl, along with milk, vanilla and cinnamon. I heated the pan and prepared to dip the bread in the mixture. When the pan finally started to become hot I placed a small amount of butter in it. I dipped the bread in the egg mixture and placed them on the pan. I turned down the heat and waited for each side to be cooked. I repeated this for at least 5 more slices of bread. After making the toasts, I cooked a few slices of my beloved bacon. As I heard the meat sizzle, I felt my mouth water. Once I finished making our breakfast, I gently woke up Monika by tapping her hand.

" Wake up sleepy head. It's time to eat." I said to her with a singsong tone.

" Carry me to the table... I'm too sleepy!" She cried out in an adorable manner before slumping her head on my leg.

" Ok, hold on." I pick her up bridal style and brought her to the dining table. She was surprised by this and immediately held on to my chest.

" I-I was just joking! Oh my gosh Yoku! I might fall, be careful!" She cried out and tightly held on to me. I put her down on a chair and I served her the breakfast I made.

" Maple syrup Monika?" She nods and I passed her the syrup.

" I know how much you like sweets, but please try not to overdo it with the syrup. You might ruin the flavor of it." She nods once again before she pours a small amount of syrup and butter on her toasts.

As we ate our breakfast, we cheerfully talked about the anime we bingewatch last night. She relates my situation with Subaru, like how I kept suffering to try and save them. I laughed it off and told her that this time, I'll finally succeed. She agrees wholeheartedly and proudly stated that she will do her best to support me and make up for her past mistakes. I plan on helping Yuri and Natsuki today, so I told Monika my plan.

" Ok Monika, you will take the logbook with you. You go back to your house as I spend the day with them. Use the comment command to talk to me. If anything goes wrong, try and get hear as quickly as possible." I said this to Monika with a serious tone. Knowing Yuri, she either might be too shy to move, or go full yandere on us.

" I understand, but... about Sayori? How will you deal with her?" She pointed a spoon at me as she asked this.

" I'll... turn her confession down today. I'll also talk to her about it properly. You, on the other hand, do your best to lighten her load a little." Monika smiles and tilts her head a little.

" Of course dear~ I'll do my best to try and help Sayori. I _am_ the club president after all, it's _my_ job." We laugh at her statement before finishing our breakfast.

Before she left, she fixed her bed hair first and tied her puffy, white bow and changed into casual wear. She wore a simple T-shirt and shorts. She pulled out the command prompt and transported her data into the coordinates of her house. She transformed into lines of code and dispersed. After she is gone, I called out to her.

" Monika? Can you hear me?" I awaited her response.

" _Yes dear, it seems the command is working."_ Ah! Good, A result I was glad to hear.

" Excellent, now, report to me anything that happens, okay?" I called out to her once again.

" _Of course, Yoku. Now, good luck with Yuri!_ " I smile and nod. After this, I begin to clean every nook and cranny of ny house.

I diligently mopped the floors, scrubbed the bathroom, dusted the shelves and basically cleaned the entire house. It took me a while to finish, but finally, I'm done. The tiles glistened like jewels after I polished it, the house smelled of fragrant jasmine and every surface was just squeaky clean. I decided to take a bath after this before going to Sayori's house. I filled the bathtub with warm wated and sat in it. I closed my eyes to try and relax myself. Sayori... how do I help you? I can't just lie to Sayori, she already knows that Monika and I are together. I also and **absolutely** cannot say I love her too, due to the first fact and that I would really hurt Monika. I pondered about my dilemma for a while. If I outright reject Sayori, she dies. If I say I love her, she dies and Monika would lose it. I groaned to myself and looked at the time, 8:30 am. I finished up my bath and went to my room to get a change of clothes. As I finished getting dressed, I texted her that I'm coming over. I immediately went to Sayori's house. I knocked on her door and cheerfully called out to Sayori.

" Sayori~ Wakey wakey sleepy head! We still have so much stuff to do!" I merrily called out. Soon, I heard footsteps going down the flight of stairs. The door unlocked and Sayori peeped out her head.

" Y-Yoku?! W-why are you here? Yuri should be coming over, what are you doing here?" She had such a baffled and confused expression on her face.

" I just wanted to talk with my bestfriend, that's all. May I please enter your house?" I leaned my body towards her a little, like that one Monika pose in the game. I smiled a bit and waited for her response. She paused for a moment, then let out a warm smile.

" Sure! But let's talk in ny room, I have things to do for the festival." I nod and I follow her lead upstairs. I walk into her room to see that she was busy working on her poem. I saw Monika kept messaging her in order to help with her writing. She also kept sending her encouraging and positive messages like "You're doing great!" or "Nice job! I'm so proud!".

I notice that her room is still filled with the stuffed animals from when we are still little. Her room is a mess, just like how the game describes it.

" Ehehe~ If you came over more often, my room would be cleaner." I sighed.

Soon, I was reliving the moments when Sayori told the MC she has depression. This part broke my heart. I have played trough this so many times now, I've basically memorized her lines by heart. She said those things in person, the words that really struck me. I stood there, as she told me all about her depression, how she thinks of herself so lowly, to how worthless she feels, to how the world tortures her, and how this is her punishment. The words she said struck my heart like a knife. I've listened to her pained release of emotion that she have bottled up for so long . I wanted to help her when she said those things back then, but I can't. Now, it's different, I could finally reach and help this troubled girl. I ran up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. I sat her down on the bed and shook her lightly. I opened my mouth to speak, but instead of replaying that exchange between Sayori and the MC like in the game, I said what my heart wanted to say. Instead of following some sort of script, I let the contents of my heart flow out.

" I understand you Sayori! I really do! I already told you, I also suffered from depression so I know how it feels. I am all too familiar of the great pain and sadness it brings. There was even a time in my life where it nearly drove me to killing myself! Even now, I still feel worthless and pained by my faults and shortcomings, yet I fight on. So please, Sayori, as your best friend, let me help you. I don't want you to feel this pain and sadness anymore. It tears my heart apart to see you, my best friend, like this." I embrace Sayori tightly. She struggles at first. But eventually, she cries on my shoulders and hugs me tightly.

" We're not your enemies Sayori, I'm sure if you asked the Literature Club, we would be glad to help you. You're not alone on this Sayori, we're here for you... I'm here for you. I want to help you, I've always have. Ever since I found out that you are suffering from depression, I wanted to help you." I held her tightly, tears were flowing down my eyes as well.

" Sayori... You're not a burden to anyone, especially to me. Not once have I found you a burden or a pain in my ass! I've always enjoyed walking with you to school or from school. I've never thought about you like that, nor has anyone else in the club. Sayori, you are not someone who drags me or anyone else behind, you're someone who helps others reach their goal. I wouldn't have joined the club if it wasn't for you, and you're also my reason to stay in the Literature Club." Sayori gasped at this, then continued to weep even harder.

" Everyone in the Literature Club cares for you. We don't want to lose someone like you, who brings a smile to everyone's faces or helps bring that cheerful atmosphere in the club. We love you Sayori! You're the greatest friend someone could ask for. It would be really painful for me to lose someone like you, Sayori. You're an amazing friend, and I'm honored to be friends with someone like you. Even though you are hurting inside, you have managed to show everyone that cheerful and energetic smile of yours, and that is something worth admiring at. To do that every single day is a testament on how strong you are, and I look up to you because of that. You helped others, cheered on others and tried to make everyone happy, even though you are not." I held her even tighter. Tears are flowing out from me like a river.

" Sayori, let us help you. Don't shut us out, we're here to help. I want to help you Sayori, please... I want to see that energetic and cheerful you again. Depression is something that shouldn't be handled alone, and we're all here to help you. You made us smile Sayori, it's our turn to make you smile. We don't want to lose you, Sayori. We're not willing to let a fellow member wallow in sadness, we want that member to shine the brightest. Sayori, you are the glue that holds this club together. Without you, no one would stop Yuri and Nastsuki's arguments, without you, there won't be an energetic and happy atmosphere in the club. Without you, who would I wake up and walk with to school in the morning and afternoon? I want to see you recover from this like what you did a few days ago, I want to save you Sayori. So please, let me... let me save you." I hugged her for a few more moments before I pulled away. I rubbed away the tears from her blue eyes with my index finger.

" Thank you Yoku, you truly are my greatest friend. But... It won't be that easy. You may have proven to me that I'm not worthless, but my doubts are still there." She wiped away the remaining tears.

" Yoku, I'm sorry... I'm sorry I made you worry. I've been selfish and a burden to you once again." She looked down at the floor in shame.

" It's my job to worry Sayori! I'm your best friend! And you're not being a burden, you're dealing with something and it's our job to help you. You're truly a burden if you don't help us by staying like this forever." A moment of awkward silence fell between us. I sighed and spoke again.

" Sayori, We... no, I... want to help you. I would shelter you under an umbrella when the rain clouds come, and I would raise you on my shoulders when the sun finally shines so you could feel it. So please... let's get trough this together, okay?" Sayori looked up to me and cried once more.

" Thank you, Yoku... I would remember the words you told me, I would remember them in my heart. But still, even if the sun shines once again, there would still be rain clouds. When that happens, please come to me with an umbrella." Sayori went uo to me and embraced me. I pat her head and smiled.

" Of course. We'll make the rain clouds go away together." Sayori and I hugged each other for a few more moments. She pulled back then asked me a question.

" I-If I told you, I-I like you, would you leave me?" She stammered out this words. She anxiously waited for my answer.

" Sayori... no, I won't leave you. I'm a jerk if I do that. I love you, as a bestfriend. Besides, y-"

" 'You and me can never be together.' I know" Sayori finished my sentence. My heart ached at this. I could see that she winced in pain at this.

"I... saw the two of you. I just wanted to see how faithful you are. Ehehe~, Im sure I'll move on someday, and until then, I'll cheer and support the two of you." Sayori clenched her fists and forced a pained smile.

" Sayori, I'm... sorry I didn't tell you" I bowed my head, but I was surprised when Sayori laughed.

" Don't worry about it. I know you, you're not the type to flaunt his relationships. Ehehe~" She rubbed the back of her head and helped me up.

" I feel a bit better now, Yoku. Some of the rainclouds went away but I still have some. It would take some time but at least I see a glimmer of sunlight now." She finally showed me the smile she had a few days ago. That cheerful smile, although a little bit pained. Her blue eyes are no longer empty. Hope, although few, can be seen glimmering in her eyes.

" Now go! I think I see them outside your house!" Sayori forced me out of her room and closed the door behind me. But before I can go down the stairs, I hear Sayori drop to the floor and cry loudly. I want to hug her, but she needs time to heal.

I got out of her house and greeted Natsuki and Yuri, who were surprised. They asked why I was outside and why my shoulder is wet. I told them it's a long story and that we should get inside. I carried their bags inside, and I laid them down on a wall. They were impressed by how clean my house is.

" Im amazed Yoku! It is way different than I imagined it to be. I thought it would look messy due to your status as being a shut-in. But look at this place! It's spotless!" Natsuki has a mischievous grin plastered on her face.

" N-Natsuki! Y-you shouldn't disrespect our host like that! We're in a different household than our own." Natsuki rolled her eyes at Yuri.

" Anyway, have you bought all the ingredients?" Natsuki asked me with folded arms and a raised eyebrow.

" Yup, in the refrigerator." I placed her heavy bag on the table.

" Y-Yoku, where would we be working?" Yuri asked timidly.

" Oh, in my bedroom. I've already prepared the materials there." For a moment, Yuri's eyes widened and she started to get flustered. Then, she calmed down and headed to the bedroom.

I decided to try and avoid any sort of romantic advances and work quickly as I could. I dashed in and out from my bedroom towards the kitchen. In one moment, I am baking cupcakes, the next I'm painting banners. I diligently followed their orders and did my best to help them as best I could. I managed to avoid the awkward scenes which involved me licking their fingers by thinking it trough. When Yuri showed me her knife, I was careful not to prick myself, I was even careful with the paint, as to not proc the towel scene with her. When ne and Natsuki horsed around with the icing, I wiped off the icing on her finger with my napkin. I continued to work quickly in order to avoid more incidents.

In the end, no romantic advances were made, but we finished early. I checked the time to see it was around 1:00 pm. We all sat down in the living room to rest. I asked them if they wanted iced tea, they agreed. I took out the Oolong tea I chilled earlier and served it to them. We started to chat after a while of drinking tea.

" You're amazing Yoku! To think you had such skills in baking! Not just that, we managed to make some pretty decent cupcakes even though you kept multitasking. Good Job!" Natsuki gave me a thumbs up and a smile.

" Yes, and it seems you're skilled in arts and crafts. I applaud you with being able to keep up with two extremely tedious tasks." Yuri sipled on tea as she finished her remark.

" Hehe, well... you guys still don't know a lot about ny hobbies." Before the can press me into telling more, the doorbell rung. I opened the door to see a pizza delivery... god.

" Excuse me, two pepperoni pizzas for mr. Yoku Shisegi." Akami-sama pretended.

" You ordered pizza? When?" Natsuki asked me?

" Sometime ago." I laughed while the two raised an eyebrow at me.


	9. The Day Before

As we finished eating the pizzas, everyone decided it's probably the time to go home. As I lead them out, I told them that all of us should hang out more. They simply agreed and headed off their separate ways. I slumped back down on my sofa, I was exhausted. I looked at the time and saw it was already 3 in the afternoon. I ponder on how to deal with Sayori if she ever decides to kill herself. I groan at this situation. Helping everyone get better in such a short amount of time is a herculean task, but what I could do, is set them on the path to recovery. Suddenly, lines of code materialized and formed in front of me. Monika then took form in all her beauty. The brunette was standing in front of me, with her entrancing green eyes staring into mine. She was wearing a simple green T-shirt and leggings. She sat beside me and gave me a hug.

" I'm sorry... I'm.sorry you had to deal with that." I pat her head gently.

" It's ok, I always wanted to help Sayori." I smiled at her, except she shook her head.

" No, rejecting her confession must have really hurt. I'm thankful that you didn't decide to cheat on me, but I'm really sorry you had to do that." Monika's voice showed guilt and pain. I sigh and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

" Monika, I see Sayori as a friend who needs help. I see you as someone who just wants to be loved and be able to show your love." I hug her once again, feeling and enjoying the warmth of our heartbeats. Monika now had a streak of red across her face, but she continued to remain calm.

" I love you Monika, and nothing here can change that." I whisper into Monika's ear. Her heartbeat is gradually increasing in speed.

" Yoku... You're such a sweetheart~" She muses to me before pressing her lips against mine.

Her hand gently presses against my chest while the other was wrapped around my waist. I caressed her soft cheek as we kissed passionately. She pushed me down on the sofa so that she would lay on top of me. I adjusted my self so that I could be more comfortable. We continued once again, the heat between us becoming hotter and hotter. Her legs intertwined with mine as she began to straddle me. We parted for a moment to take in some short pants of air before continuing once more. Our hands became adventurous as I started to cup one of her breasts, and she deciding to caress the region near my crotch. We both let out a muffled moan of pleasure, but we pressed on. We were in heat, and the ecstasy of this feeling is driving us nuts. We were sweating pretty heavily when we took a short moment once again to breath. I could feel myself melting from her green gaze. We prepared once more to make out, our lips mere centimeters from each other when the doorbell ringed. Startled by this, Monika let out a yelp before falling to the floor, and me starting to pull myself together. The loud thud must have alerted whoever was there so they immediately entered the house. The door flew open to reveal Sayori in a pink rolled-up long sleeve and blue shorts.

" Oh my gosh, are you oka-" Sayori entered the living room, and stood still for a moment. She took in the scene in front of her and all color flushed away from her body.

" Pardon me, I'm just going to let myself out." Before she could turn around and run, I sprang up like a cat and ran up to her.

" Sayori! Wait! We can explain!" I grabbed Sayori by the shoulder and pulled her back in the house. I sat her down on the sofa and Monika and I prepared to explain what just happened between us. She merely raised a hand before we could even speak.

" I understand! Really! You two needed to show how much you love each other. I'm sorry that I had disturbed you guys. This is the second time I've done it, huh?" Sayori chuckled to try and ease the tension and awkwardness that hung in the air.

" Anyway, I wanted to check up on you do that we could talk about something, but it only seems I've disturbed you guys." Sayori clenched her fists and lowered her head in dismay.. Monika and I sat beside her and hug her.

" Sayori, it's ok to disturb us to talk about something. We're more than willing to give you the time and attention you want to vent out the feelings you feel." I said to Sayori with a reassuring tone. We hugged her tightly as she began to cry.

" It's the club president's job to take care of their member's well-being. You can always open up to me Sayori, I am your friend after all." Monika had a soothing and calming effect to Sayori. Her voice was light and soft, like a mother comforting their child who is in pain.

" Thank you guys... I feel better now." Sayori wiped away the tears in her cheeks.

" Now, what do you want to talk about?" I ask Sayori with a concerned expression. As we pulled away from the hug, we adjusted ourselves so that we are facing Sayori.

" I-I have been... getting some horrible thoughts. For the past few days... I-I have been thinking about suicide. I'm... I'm really scared. I have thought about what you said Yoku, about fighting and moving on. I want to do that, I want to be like you, moving forward into the next day, but I'm scared by the creeping thought of killing myself. Please... help me." She cried out softly. It seems she is trying really hard to win this battle.

" Of course Sayori! I... We are willing to help you in a time like this. My house is always open for you and I will personally greet you with open arms anytime. If you want to spend the night here or vice-versa, I will gladly do so." I clasped her hands together to affirm my promise. She blushed and recoiled due to shock.

" T-then p-promise me you'll help me. P-pinky promise." She stretched her pinky towards me.

" I promise." I lock my pinky with hers and lightly shaked our hands. Monika simply smiled at this heartwarming sight.

" Anyway, let me help you get some stuff from your house, Sayori." I gently patted her pink head as I speak. Sayori nods lightly and we stood up to go to her house. Monika stayed behind to clean up the colorful mess me and Yuri made in my room.

Once again, I stood inside her brightly lit room. As she took a bag and grabbed some of her clothes, I saw a picture of me and Sayori. I looked at it closely, smiling at how Sayori seems so cheerful in this one. I looked over at Sayori, whose head seems to be floating beside the clouds right now.

" Hey, Yoku, I hope I won't become a hurdle to you and Monika." She held her bag tightly, as if trying to strangle it.

" Don't worry, you won't be. Besides, without you, we might do something we could regret. Ahaha~ anyway, you ready to go?" I turned to Sayori, who just finished zipping up her bag. She nods and she runs out the door. Before I closed it, I saw a noose placed on top of her bed. I grabbed it quickly and examined it. To think that this piece of rope has the power to take the life of someone so amazing and loved, to keep me awake for a few days due to the image it conjured. I took it with me as I got outside her house and put it to where it belongs, in the trash can behind us.

When we reached my house, Sayori wanted to help around the house. I rejected her offer politely and told her to go take it easy. She pouted at me, but eventually, she decided to just follow my plea for her to relax. She took a sit in front of the TV and smack right in the middle of the sofa. She watched some documentary about some cute animals. I looked at the time and saw it was now 4:24 pm, so I started to prepare our dinner. I decided to make some veggie burgers for the thre-

" Yo! Yoku, my boy! Mind if I eat here?" Akami-sama entered trough the door with a huge grin. Wait, Akami-sama going trough the door? What the hell, he usually goes trough a portal or something.

" S-sure..." I murmured, this annoying god is here again.

" Sir Akami?! W-what are you doing here?!" Sayori jumped up from the sofa and looked at the god with a surprised expression.

" I eat here in my friend's house if I'm too lazy to cook." As he walked in the house, I saw that he was pale and thinner. Monika saw this too, yet we just stood silent.

Sayori and Akami-sama sat infront of the TV watching the documentary. Even at home, he kept teaching Sayori about the different animals there, Sayori's head seemed like it was about to explode. Monika helped me cook the veggie burgers, and as expected, was of great help. As we finished making our dinner, Monika held my hand and smiled softly.

" You did a good job, Yoku! Sayori may still have some depression, but at least she is back on the road to recovery." I She pointed towards the living room. I looked out to see the god playing with Sayori.

" Yeah... she still has a lot of ground to cover before she gets rid of her depression. That is why we must help her out by protecting and caring for her." I smiled and finished making the veggie burgers. I called out to them that the food is ready.

I served the veggie burgers me and Monika made to the two. It was an enjoyable dinner, I managed to make the veggie patty taste like a real burger. It has that mild smoky aftertaste and savory umami that a burger has. Sayori is clearly impressed by this. The dining room was filled with happiness. Sayori enjoyed eating with other people, Akami-sama told the most wonderful stories and Monika by my side. The scene before me is something I would treasure. Seeing Sayori safe and sound, cheerful and smiling, brings a smile to ny face.

We finished up our food and I'm currently washing the dishes. I just finished the last dish when Akami-sama walked up beside me. He had a serious look on his face.

" Yoku... I have something to tell you." With a heavy sigh, he looked at me.

" A time may come when I won't be able to help you. When that happens, just remember, never give up." He patted my shoulder and left.

" H-hey! What the hell do you mean you moron?! Stop talking cryptically!" I turned around and he was gone. Great, typical generic 'wise old man' in heroic stories.

After I finished washing the dishes, I took a bath and relaxed. Damn... a Saturday involving so much work, what a pain. I looked at the bubbly water and proceeded to ponder about what to do. Maybe, I should take a look around town tomorrow... Nah, I'm gonna relax at home. I always wanted to watch some horror anime. I finished up my bath and put on my blue pajamas. As I entered my room, I let out a yawn. Sayori was waiting for me to finish taking a bath. She immediately left the room to go take a bath.

" So... where are you gonna sleep?" Monika curiously looked on as I pulled something from underneath the bed. I pulled out my futon and placed it on the floor beside my bed.

" Oh! I see, but are you ok in sleeping on the floor?" I nod to Monika before wrapping myself in it.

" I'm gonna go to sleep now, I'm tired. Goodnight dear!~" I mused to her before giving her a flying kiss.

" Caught it! Goodnight love, see you in your dreams." She smiled and went back to reading an encyclopedia. I closed my eyes and prepared to sleep.

I think I was sleeping for about 10 minutes when I felt a huge weight crash into me. It let out an 'Oof!' as it fell into me. It was Sayori, who was wearing a brown, dog onesie. She tripped on ny futon and fell on my body. She apologized and began looking at my body. Monika just loomed at me and giggled. She was amused at the sitution that was unfolding before her.

" Nah, it's fine, I told you. Thankfully, the only harm done was when your head bumped into mine!" We laughed at each other.

" But still! I'm sorry, I was clumsy and didn't look at where I was going." She got up and sat on the bed.

" Apology accepted, now, may we sleep?" I laughed one last time before covering myself with my futon. Sayori settled into bed and snuggled against Monika.

" I'm still sorry Yoku! You want me to kiss the spot that hurts?" Sayori asked like a kid. Wait, no, she is a kid. Monika interjected.

" Hey now, you're making me jealous. Just go to sleep Sayori, I'm sure Yoku would be fine." Monika patted Sayori's head and smiled.

" Goodnight everyone~" Monika mused as my eyes started to close.

I woke up with sun shining on my face, birds singing melodious tunes and the sound of two people arguing downstairs. I immediately head down, fearing that it is a really serious argument, only to find out it was about pancakes. Sayori was telling Monika that the Japanese pancake is more delicious than the normal pancakes. Monika argued that the Japanese pancake is more of a snack than a breakfast. Before Sayori could say anything, Monika started laying down some facts in a way that she wasn't telling Sayori she is wrong, she is telling her why Monika is correct. Sayori was confused by the science about pancakes, that after Monika was finished, she told her she likes the Japanese pancakes because they're cute. I decide to finally join the argument.

" Well, I like flapjacks, and I'm making that for breakfast." They look at my direction with a shocked stare.

" Wha?! B-But flapjacks and pancakes are all the same!" Said Sayori in a surprised tone.

" Nope! I'm gonna prove it to you that these three kinds of sweets are different." I walked up to the refrigerator and the cupboards to get the ingredients I need. Monika and Sayori sat down and watch as I started to make the required batter for each of our preferred breakfasts.

It was tedious and tiring since I just woke up, but I'm done. I served Sayori the thick and tall Japanese pancakes with blueberries and syrup. I gave Monika the lgiht and fluffy pancakes she asked for, along with the butter and maple syrup. I sat down with my flapjacks in hand, and began to eat. We compared each other's breakfast and enjoyed the different taste of each. The morning was cheerful and bright with Sayori here, it feels just a tad bit happier.

" Yoku! What were you planning to do today?" Sayori asks me as she took a bite out of her pancakes.

" I'm gonna stay hear and watch anime." Sayori looked at me with concerned eyes. Monika simply sighed

" Then... can I watch anime with you?" Sayori asked me nicely.

" Sure, but... you are you ok with that? Me just being lazy all day?" Sayori paused for a second. She shakes her head.

" Of course no! But you did a lot yesterday so you need some rest." Sayori smiled sweetly at me. This understanding and caring trait of Sayori is what makes her so likable.

We finished our breakfast and I started washing the dishes. I was humming a song when I felt a pair of hands grab me from behind. I turned my head to see Monika, she had a grin on her face and she had a mischievous look in her eyes.

" I. Caught. You~" She tease before nibbling on my neck.

" H-Hey! S-Stop... I'm washing the dishes! It's tickling me." I plead to Monika, but to no avail. She continues to tease me for a while before stopping. She had a confused expression on her face.

" Hmm... I feel strange. Hold on." Monika pulled out the command console and started browsing some files.

" Woah, Yoku, look at this." I looked at Monika, who was opening some files.

" Sayori's character file has changed. It seems her depression level has decreased... but the others... it's worsening." I put away the last dish and looked at Monika's command console.

" But here is the worse part... the administrator privileges are starting to disappear slowly. Look, I can now look at the world files, but not edit nor delete them." I was worried, is this what that god is talking about?

" Let's just wait and see what happens for now. Our first priority is to save Yuri. Like you said, if the files are worsening, then Yuri is the most dangerous and most probable to cause harm to herself or others. God, now we just have one week left." I shake my head in dismay. Such a short amount of time to try and help everyone. Monika then shows me something.

" Look, in the world files, there is a strange file. It's called 'TimeUntilDeath' file. It seems to be counting down until Sunday, precisely at midnight." My heart sank at this. No, it didn't sank, it dived straight into an abyss.

" No... If I fail... I'll die? What the hell..." I slumped into a chair and stared at the ceiling. But Monika patted my head and spoke.

" I don't think it's meant for you. It isn't connected with your file, but I'm not sure about any of us." Monika had a grim expression. She sat down in front of me and sighed.

" No, It's not for any of us. It's meant for... him." Monika just nodded in response.

" You noticed, didn't you? He looks weaker and sicker this past few days." I pointed that out to Monika.

" Well, what would happen if-"

" Yoku! I'm booooored~ Let's go watch those animes that you love so much." Monika was cut off from what she was about to say. I smile to Sayori and stood up.

" Sure Sayori. Monika, talk about 'that' later." Monika nods and brought out a book to read. I sat down on the sofa and played the collection of magical girls and moe anime I have.

" Did I disturb you Yoku? I'm sorry if-" I pat her head and smiled.

" Nah, the conversation was getting to serious anyway. Stop apologizing so much." I pressed play and we began our anime marathon. It's nice to relax for today, after all, the festival is tomorrow. Monday is gonna be a long day.


	10. New Mission

Author's Note!

Two things I want to say so let's keep this short and simple. First, I'll try to upload a chapter of DDLC: Our Reality every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, the rest are for the other fanfic. Second, this chapter concludes the Sayori Arc and is the start of the Natsuki Arc. Thank you so much and here is the next chapter! _

Today is the day! The day of the school festival! Monika watched me prepare the stuff we made during Saturday. I was happy that I managed to prevent Sayori from becoming a house decoration and finally see her on the road to recovery. Sayori went home this morning to take a bath and change into her uniform. She wanted to go home last night but I didn't let her, the risk of Sayori committing suicide was too much for me, so I made her sleep here. Monika hummed an invigorating melody as I finally placed the last of the cupcakes in a tray. I really wanted to eat some of the cupcakes but Monika would shot me a glare if I start to think about it. She started to flip trough the logs as I finished gently wrapping the trays of cupcakes with tinfoil. Monika sighed and slid me the notebook. Natsuki's situation is worsening. We forgot to look at the logs during Sunday, so we missed at least one major log about Natsuki.

 **Time: Sunday, 8:37 pm Location: Natsuki's Living Room**

 _Natsuki listened to the drunken ramblings of her father again. He noticed that she was losing attention due to her starting to sleep. Natsuki immediately noticed this but was too late. She got slapped repeatedly while her father held her arm tightly to the point it bruised her. He proceeded to shout at her for being so disrespectful. He locked her in her room without dinner immediately after_.

Damn, never in my life have I wanted to punch someone so badly before. I swear, if I meet this guy I'm gonna throw a punch that hurts as much as the pain Natsuki endured from him. I clenched my teeth at this, to think we had the same kind of abusive parent, the only difference is that at least mom showed too much love for me. I gritted my teeth in anger and disgust at this scum, but Monika hugged me from behind. Her warmth and soothing embrace managed to calm my nerves.

" Hey, don't get too mad Yoku. I'm confident that you would be able to save her from this. You managed to save Sayori, so I'm pretty sure you can do it with Natsuki. Now, show me that smile I really love so much!" Monika pinched my cheeks and started pulling. I laughed at this yet at the same time was in pain. Suddenly, Sayori excitedly burst trough the door and saw this scene. We looked at her, my cheeks still being pulled by Monika into a large smile. Sayori laughed and ran up to Monika.

" Ehehe~ I always wanted to this to the president. Now that your hands are occupied, I can do this!"

" Kyah! S-Sayori! Ahaha~ That tickles! Ahaha, stop!" Sayori began to tickle Monika's sides, causing her to let go of me. Sayori stopped and smiled at Monika.

" Ehehe... I got you!" Sayori exclaimed and started to laugh while Monika also started to laugh.

" I think that's enough horsing around. Okay everyone let's go!" I clasped my hands as I said these words. Everyone in the room nodded and began to carry something.

The walk to school is cheerful. Monika and I saw once again that cheerful and happy Sayori that I saw on the early part of Act 1. I smiled at this, with Sayori, my job would be easier since she actually knows how to deal with people. Suddenly, I felt someone tap my shoulder. We turned around to see Akami-sama, except he is now wearing wearing a surgical mask, his skin was pale and his eyes were sunken.

" Hey! You want any help with that?" He pointed to the things we carried.

" What the hell man?! No! Look at yourself! You look like you're about to collapse!" I scolded him while the others looked on. He laughed and patted me on my head. He ruffled my hair and smiled.

" Nah! I just didn't get enough sleep. Now, give me that tray." He took the second tray and proceeded to carry it with us. He still had energy, but we were still worried about him. As we neared school, Sayori turned around at us and started to slowly walk backwards. Sayori smiled at him and began to talk.

" You're a really good friend of Yoku, huh? I hope you get better soon Sir Akami, I think Yuko is really worried about you." Sayori smiled at Akami-sama before turning around to see where she is going.

" Nah! He isn't worried about me! Besides, look at me! I'm still strong enough to carry stuff." We laughed at the god, who was proud of the feat of carrying 25 cupcakes.

We reached the school gates and Akami-sama gave me back the tray. He waved goodbye before going proceeding to help another student carry some materials. We heard someone calling out to us as we made our way inside the campus. We turned around to see Natsuki waving and running towards us. Yuri followed from a distance, clearly uncomfortable with the looks Natsuki was getting.

" H-Hey... Natsuki, pipe down a little, people are looking at us." Yuri stammered out quietly towards Natsuki.

" So what? At least we're getting the attention of possible new club members. Who knows, people may join just because of your looks." Natsuki smirked at the embarrassed Yuri.

" E-eh?! I-I'm not s-something to b-be ogled at!" Yuri started to fluster and face started to turn as red as a tomato.

" Yeah, with a rack like that I'm sure you'll get many followers. Now, start carrying stuff! We have tons to do!" Natsuki gave Yuri a ton of of the props that would give the clubroom a calm and soothing atmosphere.

" Now, now Natsuki, let's not be mean towards Yuri. We can't let her get all embarrassed and frightened by the possible new club members." I lightly warned Natsuki, who just gave me a cold and annoyed shrug.

" Come on everyone! Let's get to the clubroom so that we could be able to set up." Monika politely interjected and stopped the situation from escalating further.

" Yeah! The sooner we could get started, the sooner we get to eat!" Sayori cheerfully exclaimed before walking again towards the school building.

We entered the silent and calm clubroom, it's large and clear windows gave the room a moderate level of light. But as we set foot in it, it seemed to come alive. Sayori's cheerfulness and energy gave the room that youthful and warm atmosphere. Natsuki's smugness and tsundere attitude gave the room that cute and quirky vibe. Yuri's calm, peaceful and timid nature gave the room a serious yet tranquil aura. So this is the charm of the Literature Club, the charm that pulled me into playing this game. Monika knew this and was responsible for making sure that their personalities complimented each other in order for the clubroom to have that quirky appeal.

" This is the reason that made it so hard for me to delete this place. It was like a home to me, and everyone was a family." Her green eyes gazed into the scene infront of us. Yuri hanging the banners and design, Sayori arranging the tables and tidying up the room and Natsuki arranging the cupcakes.

" I understand, after all, I want to be a part of this." Looking at everyone, I wanted this kind of peaceful and fun times to last forever. Monika nudged the side of my arm with her elbow.

" Hey, go help Natsuki. I'm gonna help Sayori and Yuri. Try to get her out of her shell and expose that soft side of hers." She gave me a thumbs up before pushing me towards Natsuki's direction.

Natsuki stood at the far back of the classroom. She stood near the shelf that kept Yuri's tea set. I looked around the room and saw Monika and Sayori happily chatting with each other as they placed the pamphlets they made during the weekend on the different tables. I glanced at Yuri's direction to see how she is doing. Her tall and developed figure that is lit by the bright light of the sun has a sort of enticing allure. She reached the curtain rods on top of the windows, I gazed at her to see if she needs help. Suddenly, A rolled up manga hit the back of my head lightly, I turned around to see Natsuki. She had a disgusted look on ger face.

" Perv. You're supposed to help me not peek under her skirt." She sighed and shook her head at me.

" W-wait! You got it wrong! I'm n-" We heard the chair Yuri was standing on start to wobble and fall. I dashed to her direction with my arms outstretched. Thankfully, I caught her just before she hit the floor. Everyone dropped what they're doing and rushed beside Yuri.

" Yuri! Oh my god, are you ok? Does anything hurt? Geez, let me just sit you down." I placed the shocked and shivering Yuri on a chair. Natsuki suddenly shoved me a side and looked at Yuri's body.

" God, you're such a klutz! Here, does it hurt? You want some tea? Tell me if you want to go to the nurse office." Natsuki was looking carefully at Yuri's body. Yuri managed to recover from her shock and get back to her feet.

" N-No, I... I'm fine, Natsuki. Thank you for asking though, I appreciate the thought. Thank you Yoku, I am indebted to you. If it wasn't for you, who knows what would have happened to me." Yuri clasped my hands and looked at me with a grateful expression.

" Okay everyone, let's get back to the task at hand. Yuri, are you sure you don't want to go to the clinic?" Monika, concerned and worried about Yuri, asked with calm tone.

" Y-Yes, I'm fine... but may I go to the comfort room?" Yuri played with her long purple hair with fidgety hands. Monika simply nodded and Yuri dashed like the wind to get outside the room.

We went back to what we were doing. The room was starting to cheer up again, but slowly. Everyons was still rattled by the incident that just happened. Sayori tried to brighten up the atmosphere a bit by telling jokes. I focused on making sure the cupcakes are not ruined or damaged by improper handling. I heard a faint yet audible whisper from Natsuki.

" I'm... sorry." Her head was faced away from me. I smile and ruffle her brightly pink hair. She suddenly turned around her hair and looked at me with a shocked and irritated expression.

" What the hell?! Do you know how long it takes just to comb my hair?! What is wrong with your head?" She started to fix her hair so that no strands of her pink hair is out of place.

" You don't have to say sorry, you were protecting your friend. Besides, my gaze was starting to shift focus." We both softly laughed at this, but I felt a rush of sleepiness so my eyes started to close. I opened my eyes to see Natsuki fixing her hair once again, but as she lifted her arm, the sleeve of her blazer was pulled back. It revealed a nasty and purple bruise near her wrist. She must've noticed the concerned gaze that I gave so she instinctively covered it again. I took two chairs beside us and I sternly told her to sit, an order she followed quickly.

" Natsuki, I understand why you don't want to talk about it and I won't force you. It must be rough for you at your house, so if you want, you can always give me a call. I would be willing to talk about you with your problems, and if needed, open the doors of my house for you." I intently awaited her response. She sat quietly and firm, her face lowered to not let me see her expression. Finally, she looked up to me and her pink eyes called out to me for help.

" Thank you, Yoku. I won't forget what you said, so you better ready your house if I decide to go and sleep over." Her tsun tun attitude is slowly warming up to me. I nod and smiled at her.

" Of course Natsuki! I'll make it so clean you can eat on the floor." We chuckled as we began to finish unloading the cupcakes from the container and into the serving trays.


	11. The Festival

I wanted to break the developing silence between Natsuki and I, so I started to probe her about her situation.

" Hey, so if you don't mind telling me, why do you stay at your house?" I quietly ask her as I placed a cupcake into a tray.

" Umm... I, have nowhere to go." She stopped for a moment and went silent.

" My mom... left us due to my dad, and I think her family is in abroad. My dad didn't take it well so he... vents his problems on me." She spoke in a silent and pained voice.

" Oh, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have asked." I spoke with a tremble in my words.

" Damn right you shouldn't have, Dummy! But... thank you, for listening and all that..." She murmured towards the end of her sentence.

" Heh, I'm sure glad I did, now I know how I could be of help to you. Anyway, the event is still 2 hours away. Want to grab a bite?" It seems I caught her attention, her head perked up and she looked at me with those pink eyes of hers. She smiled, then pouted, and finally a confused and baffled look is what she gave me.

" H-How about M-Monika or Sayori? Won't they be mad for us not helping them? They're working so hard yet we are just gonna eat while they work!" She said in a hushed yet loud tone. Before I could reply, Sayori and Monika giggled from across the room.

" Nah! We won't be mad, you deserve to eat after finishing your task. We'll just catch up with you guys when we are done!" Monika gestured for us to go on.

" Yeah! We'll catch up later, so you better buy me some food Yoku!" Sayori waved goodbye as I we headed out the door. I opened the door only to bump into Yuri. I stumble backwards, it seems something softd bouncy springed me back.

" Ah! I'm so sorry Yoku! A-Are you hurt?" Yuri looked at me intently and with concerned eyes.

" Klutz." Natsuki whispered under her breath towards me.

" Uhhhh, yeah I'm fine." I smiled and made my way outside the classroom. She let out a relieved 'phew' and smiled. I waved goodbye at her as she closed the door.

We made our way to the bustling and crowded cafeteria. I noticed that Natsuki is quieter and more fidgety than earlier. I smiled at this, Natsuki really is a tsundere. I told her to sit down on a nearby, open table. She hesitated at first, but I told her I'm only leaving her alone for a short while. She reluctantly agreed and proceeded to tell me to make it quick, with a 'dummy' in the end of course. As I was buying our food, I kept worrying about her. She hinted in one of her poems that she is getting bullied, and I'm worried that I left her vulnerable to those people. I bought two of those bento combo meals, they are pretty good and heavy in the stomach. I hurried back to the table so that I Natsuki won't be noticed by her bullies. I reach our table quickly and saw that Akami-sama is keeping her company. Surprisingly, it seems Natsuki and Akami-sama know each other and it looks like Natsuki has a friendly disposition towards him. He notices me and smiles.

" Well, Yoku is here, I should get going." Akami-sama looks at us and smiled once more. He pats me on my shoulder before leaving.

" I see that you already met Akami-sensei." I took a sit infront of her and handed her the meal I bought. She gave it a stare, then looked at me with a shocked looked in her eyes.

" W-What the hell?! You bought something this expensive for me?!She hesitates as she reached for the wrapper.

" It's fine. I had a feeling that you were hungry. I could see that you kept eyeing everyone's food when we got here, so I thought you must be pretty hungry. Do you... not like it?" I looked at her flustered and beet-red face as I wait for her response.

" No... it's not that. I was just, surprised. I am just surprised that someone would actually do something like this for me." She smiled for a moment, before pouting at me.

" What? Why are looking at me that way?! Are you picking a fight with me? Huh?" She huffed, no, she barked to me. Her lips were quivering as she tried to keep her pout. I put on an amused smile and spoke to her.

" You know, you're really cute with that tsundere charm of yours. Ahaha~ whoops, I let that one slip out." I grinned as she gave off the reaction I expected. Her face turned as pink as her eyes, she stuttered out incoherent words before being able to murmur out a few words.

" I-Idiot... you shouldn't say those things so carelessly..." She had that embarrassed pose and she hid her face from my amused gaze.

" Anyway! You have good intuition. I am hungry, so... thank you." She managed to blurt out those words to me. I smiled as she unwrapped the meal I bought for her and she finally began to eat.

She began to gulp down the food in front of her like it was the first meal she ate today. Oh, right... it is. I was about to take a bite of mine when a pair of chopsticks snatched the pork cutlet slice I wanted. I turned to look at thief, but I saw Sayori chewing then swallowing the piece of pork.

" That was delicious! Mind if I have more? Ehehe~" A look of hunger can be seen in her eyes as she stared at my food.

" No~ It's mine! Here, buy your own. Geez, you keep forgetting your lunch money." I hand Sayori some cash, she lept up and down before hugging me tightly.

" You're the best, Yoku!" She let go from her embrace and ran off. As Sayori ran off, Monika took a sit beside me and Yuri sat beside Natsuki. Monika carried a lunchbox filled with salads while Yuri brought out a bento complete with side dishes, rice and an assortment of different meats and vegetables.

" Mind if we join you too? Teehee~ Nice call Yoku, we're gonna need the energy to perform for our event." Monika said to us before eating her salad.

" I agree. Performing in front of people is a tedious and nerve-wracking task." Yuri began to take bites out of her food.

Sayori joined us after a while and the entire club began to eat together. It is a fun and cheerful moment, well, I think every moment in the Literature Club is fun if everyone is happy. As lunch time drew near, so did the time to start our event. We all headed towards the comfort room to freshen up, and we have around 30 minutes to prepare ourselves. I took a heavy breath and let it all out. I stepped inside the room and prepared myself to recite my poem.

We drew lots earlier and due to my luck, is the first one to perform. After my performance, Sayori is up next, follwed by Natsuki, Yuri and Monika. We were practicing the poems we submitted to Monika and Sayori inside the room. People soon trickled inside the room and looked around, Sayori offering them the cupcakes we made. Our performance began as soon as Monika stepped on the wooden platform infront of the room. She had a welcoming and warm smile as she greeted everyone. The crowd swooned at Monika, her voice is hypnotizing and alluring, and I can't help but feel jealous and protective due to this. I simply ignored those feelings, knowing that Monika won't cheat on me. Monika glanced at me and gave me my cue to prepare.

" Okay everyone! For our first performer, let's give it up for, Yoku Shisegi!" Monika gave me the mic as she got off the stage. She gave me a thumbs up and went to the side to watch me.

" Ok, Hi everyone! T-This is my poem, I hope you enjoy." I held the folder in my hands and I began to read.

Spring

The dew drops fall,

as the flowers bloom.

The birds sang their madrigals,

as the bees danced to their delightful tune.

The trees sway their green hair,

as the gentle winds run past them.

The rivers ran free and wild,

while the mountains block their path.

Forest animals come out to play,

on the forest floor, now fresh with life.

Peeking its head above the clouds,

the sun smiles brightly upon the woods.

I sat and watched as it unfolded,

the delightful scene for I long awaited.

When the cold, dark Winter has faded,

and the springtime's flowers blossoms.

Everybody cheered and clapped for me as I finished. I bowed my head and thanked them for listening. I handed Monika the mic and I smiled at her. After that, I took a sit at the side of the stage and watched the others perform. Sayori's poem is bittersweet, yet she presented it in a cheerful way. Natsuki's poem is quirky, cute and charming. Yuri's poem was deep yet soothing. It invokes a sense of calm as she reads it with her soft and calm voice. Monika was the last, but definitely not the least. Her poem was romantic and the way she presented it was brilliant. Her voice has this allure that goes well with her hypnotizing, green eyes. She spoke in a way that it is impossible to lose your attention. I guess this is the skill of someone who was in a debate club. As she finished, I stood up and gave her a standing ovation. She glanced and smiled at me, before concluding the performance.

We finished cleaning up the clubroom in the afternoon. The list of people that have attended and could possibly join the club is pretty large. I smiled as we closed the door of the class room, this event is a successful one. Tomorrow, we are gonna rest and roam around the campus looking at the different stalls and booths. We head our separate ways, except for me and Sayori, as we went home. I waved oneone last good bye as everyone parted ways. The walk home with Sayori is filled with smiles and laughter due to the events of today and how fun it is.

" So... Sayori, how are you doing?" I asked Sayori as we neared our houses.

" I'm doing great! For the first time in a while, I'm actually feeling really happy Yoku!" She proudly exclaimed before holding my hand.

" Thank you Yoku! I'm glad you managed to help me!" I ruffled her hair as she walked beside me. We reached our houses when we came to an abrupt halt. In front of my house stood a girl who was out of breath and bent over. She clearly ran as fast as she can to get here. There was no mistaking it, her pink colored hair and small and thin frame, thats-

" Natsuki!" Sayori called out to her before she collapsed.


	12. Help

Sayori and I rushed inside my house while I carried Natsuki. We gently lay her down on the sofa and begin to panic as to what must be happening.

" Yoku! What should we do?! Should we call her fathe-"

" NO!!! Erm, I mean... Hold on a second." Sayori was taken aback by my sudden exclamation.

" I'm sorry Sayori, I'll tell you all about it later. For now, let's focus on helping Natsuki, okay?" Sayori glanced over at the unconscious Natsuki, then turned towards me and gave me a firm nod.

" Okay, I'm gonna call Monika. I think she would have some knowledge about what to do. You stay here and watch Natsuki." Sayori nods and proceeds to stand near Natsuki. I grab my phone and called up Monika. As expected, she answered near instantly.

" Hi dear~ Why'd you call? Do you need anything?" I paused for a moment to think how I'm gonna phrase this.

" Erm, I need you to run over here. Natsuki is passed out in my living room. Sayori is keeping watch on he-...hold on." I put my phone down for a moment and looked trough the curtains in my living room.

A black car with tinted windows drove slowly trough the streets. Its low hum echoed trough the quiet and dimly lit neighborhood. Whoever the driver of the car was seems to be looking for someone. Afrter a few moments, it passed by ny house and disappeared beyond the curb. I let out a relieved sigh and picked up my phone again.

" Erm, Monika, I need you over here as quickly as you can." I waited for Monika's reply as I kept watch trough the curtains.

" Um, sure... 5 minutes. I'll be right over." Her tone is now serious and concerned. She hung up and I placed my phone in my pocket. I looked at myself at the mirror and stretched my arms, damn I need a shower right now. I told Sayori to call me if something happens, before I went upstairs to take a bath.

Just as I finished my shower, I heard the front door swing open and the worried voices of Monika and Akami-sama. I hurriedly put on some clothes and went down stairs. They were all huddled together on the sofa, watching over Natsuki. Natsuki is sweating heavily and she seems to have some difficulty in breathing.

" Poor girl, must've ran here as fast as she could while battling hunger and fatigue. The lack of food and energy coupled with such a stressful dash to here made her body go into shock." Akami-sama places a hand on her forehead.

" I'll get her some water. Yoku, cook some food for her so that she has something to eat when she wakes up." Monika leaves and head toward the kitchen and I followed after her.

Monika took a pitcher of cold water from the refrigerator. As she poured the water into an empty glass, I told her all about the car earlier. She shook and slump her head in response.

" It must be her father looking for her. I wonder what happened, I guess we should just ask her about it later, for now, lets just see if Natsuki is okay." Monika took the glass of water and brought it to the living room.

I sighed and began to prepare some food for the five of us. I took out some dehydrated tofu and ramen noodles, I'm going to make some vegetarian ramen for all of us. I was about to begin preparing my ingredients when I heard Sayori yell that Natsuki is waking up. I dropped everything I was doing and rushed to her side. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Monika handed her a glass of water and she smiled weakly to us. We sat her up carefully and she began to gulp down the refreshing liquid down her throat. After she finished her drink, her eyes began to water as she clenched her fists.

" T-Thank... you... Thank you, for helping me." As she stammered out those words, she embraced me tightly and began to sob. Everyone, except Akami-sama hugged her tightly. After a moment, we pulled away from the warm and comforting embrace.

" Sayori... Monika... even Akami-sensei, what are you guys doing here?" She asked softly. Sayori placed her hands on Natsuki's shoulder and smiled.

" We're here to help you, dummy! You made Yoku and I worried when you collapsed in front of his house." Sayori began to tear up as well.

" Oh, I see... Well, I'm fine now! See? W-woah!" Natsuki stammered to her feet as she got off the sofa. She wanted Sayori not worry too much about her.

" Careful! Your body is still weak, so don't force yourself." Monika assisted Natsuki by shouldering her arm. Natsuki smiled at her.

" Gee, even outside the school you act like our club president." Natsuki chuckled as Monika held her up.

" Ahaha~ We're still a club afterall, even if if we are not at school. Besides, I think taking good care care of you guys is something I should do." Monika and Natsuki laughed. I stood up and clasped my hands to get everyone's attention.

" Welp, I guess it's now time to eat, huh? Natsuki, want to watch me cook?" Natsuki finally manage to stand on her own, although she is unsteady. She smirked at me, with that smug look on face.

" Tch, you better make something good, I'm starving!" She huffed at me while I chuckle to myself.

" Sure! I'll make something that would blow your mind away!" I proudly exclaimed to Natsuki, before heading ti the kitchen.

I started to prepare all the ingredients before me. Soy milk, my special vegetarian stock, miso, garlic, ginger, ebi taro, carrots, and lotus and burdock root, all this I laid out before me. I brought out the dehydrated tofu and I let it soak up a mixture of sake, grated ginger and potato starch. After a few minutes, I fried the tofu with a soy sauce and mirin sauce. I finished frying up the tofu and started making the broth for the ramen. It was just a simple process, mince the garlic and ginger, boil the carrot and taro and slice the lotus and burdock roots into thin slices before deep frying the said roots. I made the broth by putting the ginger, garlic and miso in a pan and boiling it all in soy milk and the vegetarian stock I made. As I finished boiling the broth, I could feel their gazes penetrating me. I could hear Sayori and Natsuki drool over the aroma of the broth. I finished making the ramen and garnished it with the fried burdock and lotus roots along with slices of boiled carrots. I made enough for seconds, due to the two being here, Sayori and that damn god who eats so much. I serve them the hot bowl of ramen along with chopsticks. I listened as they started slurping the noodles of the ramen.

" Holy hell! You made this without any meat?! Wait a minute... is this the ramen Joichiro made in Shoukugeki no Soma?!" Natsuki had this 'fan girl' look on her face as she asked me.

" Woah! You know about that anime?" I asked her with a curious tone.

" Yup! It's actually one of my favorite animes. I never knew you could actually recreate food from that show." Natsuki was impressed, but tried her best nkt to show it.

" Ahaha, this is why I like to eat here. (slurping noises) The food here is really good!" Akami-sama spoke while his face is stuffed with noodles.

" By the way, are you always here Akami-sensei?" Natsuki asked Akami-sensei with an inquisitive tone.

" Yup, that damn bum keeps arriving in my house at around the same time each day like clockwork." I grumble before slurping a mouthful of noodles.

" Hey! That's not nice, Yoku! Apologize to Akami-sensei." Sayori had a sort of mad expression.

" Nah! He is right, I should be ashamed... But am I ashamed? Nope! I'll keep eating here for as long as I want." Akami-sama laughed before gulping down the remaining broth in his bowl.

" Now, now... I won't allow this to get out of hand. Yoku, apologize to Akam- Hey, Natsuki, are you... okay?" Monika asked Natsuki with an expression of concern.

" Y-Yeah... I'm fine. It's just that, it has been a _really_ long time since I enjoyed a meal during dinner time." Natsuki hid her face from us as she wiped her tears of joy from her face.

" Being forced to finish all of the food, or not even eating dinner has been a regular thing for me. But now, surrounded by friends and delicious food, I feel like, I'm in my true home." We smiled as Natsuki started gulping down the ramen I made.

" For the first time since forever, I actually want get a second round of food during dinner time." Natsuki held out her empty bowl to me and smiled.

" Seconds, coming right up!" I exclaimed as I took her bowl to fill it with ramen.

I just finished washing the last of the bowls when Monika called me to the living room. Everyone is sitting aroubd Natsuki as she readied to tell us what happened. Akami-sama left earlier due to 'work-related tasks' and such, so he had to leave us early. We sat around Natsuki as she told us the events that happened to her earlier.

" When I got home, my dad was drinking inside the house, which is odd. He shouldn't be home until 8:00 pm, but I found out why. He got fired from his job due to bad behavior and insubordination." Natsuki paused for a while to stop her shivering, then continued.

" When he saw me, he... frowned. He stood up and dashed towards me. That monster was about to throw a punch when I managed to close the door on his face." Natsuki once again took a moment to breathe and calm herself.

" I ran away, towards here. I felt that I could be safe here, for now. I kept running and running, even if my body is tired and painful due to hunger, I pressed on. Finally, I reached this place before passing out, and here we are!" Natsuki groaned and laid herself on the carpet.

" Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell us about your problem, Natsuki." Sayori crawled towards Natsuki to try and hug her, but Natsuki recoiled from her.

" Well, I did not want you guys to worry or get involved with my family. Second, I thought that you would feel sorry for me and... leave me behind." Natsuki trailed off near the end, but we stil understood her.

" We won't leave you! Besides, we want to help a friend in need." Sayori slowly inched closer to Natsuki, who is now being defensive.

" How? What could you do to help me? Call the cops? Child Protection Services? Good luck with that..." Natsuki glared at Sayori for a moment, before letting out a sigh.

" What do you mean? Natsuki... I know it hurts, but please, tell us. Tell us so that we may be able to try and help you " Monika held Natsuki's hand and gave her a look of concern.

"...(sigh) Dad has always been like this. When my mom still lived with us, the abuse towards me is not that great. His damn outbursts are always directed at mom. Sometimes, the neighbors would call the cops to check on us, but he would always manage to slip away or bribe them to go away. And when that happens, he goes nuts and his abuse towards the both of us becomes worse." Natsuki is starting to tear up, yet she continued.

" At some point, mom couldn't take it anymore and left the both of us. This really angered my dad and the idiot started unleashing his pent up anger on me. The bastard would beat me up and verbally abuse me everyday. After a while, I got used to it and just learned to live with it... Ughhh, why the hell am I telling you guys this?!" Natsuki groaned and got up on her feet.

" Natsuki... we understand. Look, take the time you need. Open up to us when you are ready. Until then, take your time." I smiled to try and comfort her.

" I wonder, why are you so nice to us, Yoku." Natsuki smiled at me before letting out a yawn.

" Oh right! Your uniform, I need to know your size so that I can see if I have some extra pair that can fit you. That way, we can go to school tomorrow." Monika got up on her feet and pushed her towards the stairs.

" Huh? W-Wait, why are you taking me upstairs?! Monika!!! Answer me!" Monika dragged Natsuki towards my room with a smile on her face.

I smiled and turned towards Sayori, who has a sad look on her face. She faced towards me and sighed heavily.

" I hope you could help Natsuki, the way you helped me when I needed it. I hope I could support you as best I could." Sayori places her hand on mine and smiled.

" I will Sayori, I will. I'll try my best." I pat Sayori before I yawned. Sayori smiled at me before standing up.

I walked her home in silence. As she closed the door behind her, I began to make my way home. But before I could enter the door, I heard Akami-sama's voice behind me. I looked behind me and saw that he was carrying a complete uniform for Natsuki. He asked if he could enter, to which I agreed. I lead him upstairs to my room where I could hear Monika and Natsuki's conversation.

" Geez, I can't believe that your chest is seriously this flat." Monika giggled at Natsuki.

" W-Wha?! What the hell Monika! Just because you have the second largest pair in the club, doesn't mean you have the right to criticize others." Natsuki huffed at Monika, who simply laughed.

" Ahaha~ True, my chest is nothing compared to Yuri's, but I don't think that matters. What matters is-"

"ACHOO!!!" Monika was cut short when Akami-sama sneezed beside me. Suddenly, Natsuki opened the door and we tumbled in.

" Pervert! Oh, Akami-sensei, ugh... I never judged you to be someone who likes to spy on women." Natsuki shot the both of us a look of disgust and anger. But that expression melted away when Akami-sama pointed at the uniforms beside him. Natsuki picked it up and proceeds to examine them.

" Wow, I'm impressed. This is a perfect fit for me. Hold on a second... where did you get this, Akami-sensei?" Natsuki looked at Akami-sama with a curious look.

" I... Uhhhhh... went... back to school! Yes, I was worried you won't have anything to wear so I bought you a uniform." The god proudly boasts and chuckle to himself while we all sighed at him.

" Just... the uniform? Nothing else?" Monika asks the god, who simply nods enthusiasticly.

" Idiot." I mutter to him.

" Why? Did I forgot anything?" He asked with a dumbfounded look on his face. We all face palmed ourselves.

" What the hell is she supposed to wear under that?!" I exclaimed to the god. He pondered for a bit before his head lit up.

" I'm just... gonna take something from my car." He stood up and ran outside for a moment, before coming back in holding something.

" Here! I think it would fit you." Akami-sama handed Natsuki... a few brand new pair of underwears and undergarments. Natsuki shivered at this.

" Why... do you have women's underwear in your car, Akami-sensei?" She asked with a cold look in her eyes. Monika and I stayed quiet, amused at the scene before our eyes.

" I... bought it for my girlfriend! Yes! It is supposed to be a gift for my girlfriend." He had a smug look on his face, thinking he probably dodged a bulet there.

" Sooo... You're telling me that, your girlfriend... is an A-cup and looking at this, has a small, thin frame that is similar to a highschooler?" Natsuki folded her arms at this. The god was sweating heavily, being backed into a corner.

" Okay, I think I have to go now~ Okay everyone, goodbye!" Akami-sensei dashed trough the door while Natsuki bursts into laughter.

" Sheesh, Akami-sensei could be too nice sometimes. But that is what I like about that teacher. The first teacher I met to actually give a damn about students that are being bullied." Natsuki smiled as she clenched the clothes that was given to her.

" Natsuki... I have some spare clothes I could lend you if you want to take a shower. So... do you want to take a shower?" I ask her nicely. Monika took a sit on my bed and began to pull out a box from under it.

" Hmmm... okay, but you better not peek! You got that?!" Natsuki grabbed a fresh towel from me and headed to the bathroom.

I smile as I jumped on the bed with Monika. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and looked at the manga she was reading. Oh! It is the light novel that I published a long time ago. I wonder if Natsuki would like to read this.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Ahahahaha... I've made a pretty clumsy mistake. I'm pretty sorry to dawicca for messing up his review section. I messed up so badly by posting the part where Yoku cooks the ramen on his review section. I hope you can forgive me, teehee. Oh, and I'm waiting for the development of your story, it seems really promising!


	13. Tuesday

**Author's note!** **I want to spice up things for a bit. I want to see what would happen if we switch our POV for just one chapter** **. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

(Natsuki's POV)

I sat inside the bath tub filled with warm and relaxing water. I am reminiscing about the stressful events that have happened to me until now. The years that I have lived in terror of my dad, my bullies and the constant thought of losing my friends. I folded my legs and held tightly, at the thought of those things. I let out a dissapointed and tired sigh as I stood up. I dried myself with the towel Yoku gave me. Suddenly, I heard knocking on the door, in surprise, I let out a short 'Eek!' but managed to calm myself.

" Ummm, Natsuki, Yoku wanted me to give this to you. I'm just gonna leave it here, okay?" Monika opened the door slightly and gave me the clothes Yoku lent me.

I began to examine the set of clothes that is lying on the sink. A blue T-shirt and black shorts, both of which smelled nice and fresh. I put it on to see if it fits me. Well, besides the T-shirt, which is like two sizes bigger than me, it fits! Yoku also told me of the spare toothbrushes inside the cabinet. I took one out and unwrapped it from its packaging so that I can brush my teeth. After I was done, I wrapped the towel around my hair so that it could properly dry off, before walking out. I entered the room to see Yoku lying on the other side of his bed browsing apps on his phone and Monika sitting on the other side reading... Manga?!

" Oh! Natsuki, you're here! Finally I can show you something. Hurry, sit beside me." Monika spoke excitedly and gestured to the space beside her.

" Yeah, I really think you'll like that manga!" Yoku puts down his phone and took out a manga from the box.

" Wow, I didn't know the president read manga. I thought manga isn't literature." I said to them as I walk towards them.

" First of all, it is Yuri that said those things. Second, I think manga is a mix between literature and visual arts. The story elements are there, but they use images to show it." Monika explained as I took a sit beside her and took the book Yoku is handing me.

" New Beginnings in a Fantasy World? I've never seen this before, hmmm. YoShiKu? Is this the author? I've never really seen this pen name before." I examined it carefully, the art style is nice and the genre is fantasy and adventure. But as I continued to think about the author, Yoku grinned at me.

" Natsuki, can you say my full name?" Yoku had a grin on his smug face.

" Yoku Shisegi... Hold on, Yoku... Shisegi... YoShiKu...Oh my gosh, what the hell?! You make manga?!"" I excitedly got up on my feet due to ny shock and surprise.

" Ahaha, yup! That is my first and last published work. My producer was really sad about it, since it sold really well, but I still wanted to retire." Yoku rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously.

" The plot is really good and the art style is really pleasing to the eye. I really recommend you reading about it." Monika said to me before immersing herself once again into the manga she is holding.

I took a sit beside them and began to read the first chapter. It is about this regular and average boy who gets pulled into a fantasy world by some female mage. The mage is a clumsy airhead who is like an older sister towards him while the boy is a generic main character trope. But as I progressed trough the story, those traits changes. I saw the growth of all the characters in the story. The mage becoming more and more skilled and careful with her work, while the boy practiced his skill in swordsmanship and being a bard. It was comedic most of the time, but sometimes it gets really serious.

Suddenly, I began to tear up. I've remembered when my dad would beat me up of he saw I spent money on manga and the like. I've never really had the freedom to do the things I wanted in my house. But here, instead of being beaten and insulted for reading manga or staying up late, it's the opposite. We spent the night discussing or watching anime and manga, telling stories and basically, have a good time.

" Natsuki, hey, you ok there? You seem to be crying." Yoku asked as he put away his phone.

" Uhhh, no! I have to spend the night sharing a bed with you, of all people." I tried to hide my smile, but it seemed the color of my face showed how U really felt.

" Ahaha~ Well, you don't have to share the bed with me. You're gonna share the bed with Monika, while I sleep in my futon." Yoku stood up and pulled out a futon from under his bed.

" Ah! W-wait! No, I... fine, whatever. Go sleep on the floor like a dog. Hmph!" I stammer out these words before pulling the covers over myself to hide my embarrassment. I could feel my face turn red as a beet. Suddenly, I felt Monika hugging me from behind.

" Wait a minute, Monika... when did you get dressed in your pajamas? And why are you sleeping here in Yoku's place? I ask Monika with a curious tone in my voice. She smiled and patted me on my head.

" It's very lonely at my house since I live alone. Thankfully, Yoku lets me sleep with him when I feel like it. Teehee~" Monika had a smile on her face while Yoku lay silently in his futon, with his face red.

" Oh, I see... well, it's getting late. I'm gonna go to sleep now." I turned my back towards Monika and closed my eyes. But as I drifted off to sleep, the scent of Yoku's clothes made me feel lightheaded and dizzy. Jeez, why does my heart pound so much?

I woke up to the sound of an alarm, I looked at the time and saw it was still 5:00am. I looked around to see if they are awake, but I was greeted by the silence of an empty room. I made my way downstairs quietly and saw that Yoku and Monika are looking at a notebook. Strange, what could they be studying for? I cough lightly to get their attention. They turned their heads toward me in surprise.

" Natsuki, did we wake you up?" Yoku asked with a worried voice.

" Nah, your alarm did. By the way, what is that you're hiding from me? Your journal? Let me see!" I tried to grab the notebook but Monika just pushes it away from my grasp.

" Kinda... It's, hard to explain. Oh! Akami-sensei would pick you up later. He will drive you to school, cause it's safer than walking with us." I frown at this statement, but I know it's for the best of me. Yoku put away the notebook, and stood up.

" Now, we shouldn't miss the most important meal of the day, right?" Yoku smiled as he walked towards the kitchen.

" Bacon and eggs? Or do you prefer something else?" Yoku stood infront of the stove, infront of him are different ingredients.

" Bacon and eggs sound good." I reply to him as I took a sit.

" Ok, and French toasts and a cup of coffee for you, Monika?" Monika took a sit beside me and tilted her head slightly.

" Yup! Ahaha~ It seems you already know what I want, huh?" Monika has this smile on her face.

Monika and I began to talk about our plans for today's festival. It seems we would have no events for today, so we are free to go check on the other booths. As we continued to talk more about school, Yoku finished cooking up our breakfast and he began to serve it to us. He took a sit beside Monika and began to sip coffee from his mug.

" Eat up Natsuki, breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Yoku said to me with a caring tone in his voice.

" Well of course, dummy. It has been a while since I had a proper breakfast, so I intend to savor this meal." I spoke loudly towards Yoku, who simply laughed at me.

" Well, okay, but you better hurry up. Akami-sensei is gonna pick you up at around 7, so you better be dressed by then." Yoku began to sip his coffee once again. I took a fork and began to take a bite out of the bacon and eggs on my plate. I don't know why, probably because of my unhealthy habit of skipping breakfast, but it seems this regular meal is filled with flavor.

They both looked at me strangely as I started to gulp down the meal before me. It was satisfying to finally eat an enjoyable breakfast for once. They were clearly amused and glad that I coyld finally eat something for once. Maybe, I might not black out or feel light headed later, after all I finally managed to eat something for breakfast. As we ate our breakfast together, we started to chat about Akami-sensei due to Monika asking me about my thoughts on him.

" Yeah, he is a nice teacher... no, he is a nice person." I mutter as I gulp down the mouthful of eggs and bacon.

" Hmm? How so?" Monika asks curiously, tilting her head and focusing the gaze of her green eyes towards me.

" Well... when he teaches us, he makes sure all of the students can follow and understand. If even one student fails to follow, he would either explain the topic once more in a more simpler, yet understandable way." I paused for a moment to eat the last slice of bacon on my plate.

" Oh yeah, he also does that in our English and Science classes. This one time, a classmate of mine approached him during lunch time to ask help in the topic. I heard Akami-sensei even bought him a meal while he taught the student about the hard parts of the lesson." Monika exclaimed before she took a sip of coffee.

" Yeah... he also bought me a meal once, when I was really hungry. And that one time, those alpha bitches in my class were about to start picking on me. Thankfully, Akami-sensei was there and managed to chime in just before it got serious. He made sure that I wouldn't get picked on again until I reached the clubroom." I smiled as I recalled the memory. How could such a teacher and kind being exist, I wonder.

" Yeah... he is a pretty nice guy... B-But I only s-s-see him as a friend and such! It's not like I see him as something else... So get that idea out of your heads!" They giggle in amusement while I bow my head in embarrassment due to what I just said. Suddenly, I felt a gust of wind from behind me.

" Awwww, I am flattered! Thank you for your compliments." I could feel the warm touch of hands on my shoulder. I look up to see Akami-sensei smiling warmly at me.

" What the hell?! It's still 6 in the morning! You aren't supposed to be hear until an hour later!" I exclaimed in surprise towards him. He laughed as he took a sit beside me.

" And how did you get trough the locked door?" I looked at the clearly locked door in the living room. He merely smiled and shrugged it off.

" Secret! Now, since you have already finished your breakfast, it's best if you take a bath and get dressed. But take all the time you need! No need to rush!" He smiled at me before I stood up and went upstairs to get a shower.

I finished taking a shower getting dressed when I looked at the time. It's already 7 in the morning and I have to get to school by 8! I hurry down the stairs to see that Monika already left and went home to prepare for school. Yoku and Akami-sensei were talking about some stuff about world building and codes, but I didn't pay attention to it. Akami-sensei noticed me and stood up.

" Shall we go? Just tell me if you don't feel safe going to school." He asks with a concerned tone in his usually cheerful yet calm voice.

" Yeah, I'm going to school. It would be lame if I just kept fearing my father." I wave goodbye to Yoku, who is about to go upstairs to take a bath. He smiled and wave in my direction before turning around.

Akami-sensei's car is parked infront of Yoku's house. It is a white Toyota 86 with tinted windows and its interior is pretty clean. I got in the back seat and after a while, we started moving. The ride to the school is silent yet soothing. I don't know why, but Akami-sensei has this air of calmness around him. We entered the school's parking lot and found a spot near the school's gate. But before I could hop out the door, Akami-sensei locked the door and glared outside the window.

" Natsuki... be quiet for a moment, and whatever you do, make sure you are not visible outside." His eyes began to follow the hum of a distant vehicle. I peeped my head just a little bit and I was petrified.

" T-that's, my dad's car... What the hell?!" I ducked under the window to hide myself. His eyes followed the vehicle for a moment before I heard it drive away.

" Tsk, this is gonna be hard. Natsuki, hear, wear this jacket instead of your blazer. I'll give it back later in the club room." He threw me a black jacket and I began to unbutton my blazer. I put on the jacket and I gave my blazer to Akami-sensei. He got out first and looked around, before letting me out and escorting me inside the school. Before we parted ways however, he bent down and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.

" This is a charm. If you are in trouble, hold this paper firmly and say this incantation. 'Help me God, hear my plea.', You got that?" I nod at him and he patted me on my head.

" Good girl, now go. The club room will keep you safe." I turned around and dashed to the place that has served as my sanctuary, the Literature Club.


	14. Meeting

(Yoku's POV)

I knock on Sayori's door to see if she is already up. Sayori opens the door and happily greets me with a cheerful smile. I hand her some bacon and eggs that I made earlier.

" Let's get going? Natsuki already left with Akami-sensei." Sayori pauses for a second, then nods at me.

We walk towards the school in a relatively fast pace. God dammit, Sayori finding out about Natsuki's problems might halt her recovery from depression. I was about to ask Sayori about this when she gives me a look of resolve.

" Yoku... I know you will be angry aboht this, but please let me help! I want to help Natsuki with her problems. I'm her friend after all, and friends help each other." Sayori clenches her fist and her eyes light up with resolve and confidence. She has an assuring tone in her voice.

" Sayori, I know how much you want to help, but... Think about your safety. Natsuki's dad is a dangerous person, and I don't want you to get hurt." I say to her with a tone of concern. She merely scoffs at me and laugh.

" Well, you're here to protect me! You saved me once, and I know you can save me again if anything happens." Sayori chuckled nervously as I sigh loudly.

" I won't always be around to protect you, you know?" I grumble quietly towards her.

" Wah?! Then you're not a super hero?" She looks at me with a sad expression.

" What gave you the idea that I am a superhero?" I ask curiously while I kept my gaze ahead of us.

" Well, you always help those in need. Not to mention you are my personal hero... afterall, you did save me from myself." Sayori gave me a warm smile. She took hold of my blazer's sleeve to keep up with my fast pace.

" Slow down~ You're walking too fast! The school is just there, it's not gonna run away! Waaaaait~" Sayori begins to whine and start to slow me down.

The reason I am walking quickly is because I saw it. The black car that was driving around last night. Maybe because I'm worried about Natsuki, I began to pick up the pace towards school. As we made our way to school, I begin explaining to Sayori why we have to move quickly. I finish telling her what I just saw when we reach the crowded school grounds. We made our way up to the Literature Club and we frantically enter the door, nearly stumbling down on the floor on top of each other. We look around to see Yuri, Natsuki and Monika inside, with surprised and shocked expressions.

" Woah, what's the rush? Something happened?" Natsuki stands and walks towards us. I smile in relief, it seems she was not spotted by her father.

" Not really, we just wanted to see if you are safe. Ehehe~" Sayori blurts out as she begins to chuckle.

" Huh? Safe? W-What do they mean, Natsuki?" Yuri asks worriedly.

" It's... nothing. Don't worry yourself Yuri."

Natsuki put on a smile as she did her best to not worry Yuri. Sayori, had other thoughts however.

" Fine?! You're being hunted by your meanie papa! You're not at all fine!" Sayori bursts out, unable to contain her emotions. Monika interjected to prevent any more fighting.

" Sayori, calm down. Look, Natsuki is in a dire situation right now, so it's best if we do our best to ease her stress." Monika took a deep breath, and let out a heavy sigh.

" Natsuki, I promise you that I... We will not let anything happen to you. Okay?" Monika walks over to Natsuki and pats her head. Natsuki pouts and hiss at this.

" I'm not some cute, little dog, okay?! So stop patting me!" Monika laughs and pull back her hand from this little ball of anger and cuteness.

" Sorry! Sorry! Ehehe~ But you know, yiu are cute, right Yoku?" Monika looks at me with a mischievous grin plastered all over her face.

" Huh? Uhm... Yeah, Natsuki has that cute tsundere charm that many people like." I join Monika in teasing Natsuki.

" I-I'm... NOT C-C-CUTE!!! I-Idiot!" Natsuki turns around to hide her embarrassed face from us.

" Ehehe~ I want to join too. " Sayori whispers to me with a smug face.

" Nah, let's stop picking on Natsuki. I think it's time to look a different booths in the school." I said out loud in the room. It got everyone's attention.

" Oh right, I forgot about that. Okay everyone, let's go check the booths together." Monika clasps her hands and excitedly walks towards my side.

" Yoku will be the one to lead us! I'm gonna let Yoku be the club leader for today." Monika pats me on my lower back with the force of a truck.

" Ow! Hey, watch it! Anyway, I heard from Akami-sensei that there is a pretty nice cafe in the Cooking Club." I rub the spot where her hand made contact while I put on a smile.

" Let's get going then, shall we?" Monika suddenly takes my hand and runs out the door while the others follow her lead.

We made our way into the school's Home Economics Lab where the Cooking club could be found. We enter the door merrily, only to be greeted with girls in french maid uniforms and cat or dog ears. Half of the room is used as the seating and dining area, while the rest of the facility is used for cooking and the like. There are a lot of tables and all of them are covered in fine table cloths and beautiful center pieces. Well, this is the third most heavily funded club in the school. I could feel the gaze of the four behind me, it was like my very soul is being judged. The room is filled with people, but near the window is a large table where we could see a familiar man sitting and ordering something. There is no doubt about it, the way he charms the waitress serving him and the way the poor girl is mesmerized by his words, that man is the god we call-

" Akami-sensei! Hi!~" Sayori runs up to the god, who was surprised and immediately sends off the girl to the kitchen.

" Geez, what kind of a teacher flirts with a student? How repulsive..." Natsuki groans at Akami-sama, who laughs nervously.

" I expected more from a teacher like you. How vulgar and immoral." Yuri quietly mutters to herself.

" Oh! Y-You got it all wrong! I was just complimenting her about how impressive she is! That's all!" The god shakes his head in order to deny the accusations being thrown at him. He looks at me and I could see in his eyes he wants me to help him.

" Let's just sit down and forget about that, right guys? After all, he _is_ treating us." Akami-sensei's eyes widen and looks at me in shock, but gave in. Everyone took a sit and began to order.

" I didn't come here for the girls... I came here for the delicious parfait and banana crêpe made by the cooking club. Although, if I must say... the person who thought about the attire in this place has great taste." The god looked lecherously at the highschool waitresses that served in the cafe. He had a stupid grin on his pleased face.

" Disgusting... Ugh..." Natsuki shiver as she let out these words. Sayori looks as though she is saddened by the actions of this god.

" Akami-sensei, you shouldn't look at underaged girls like that. You might get sent to prison, and no one would be able to teach me Science as well as you." Sayori softly said to the god, who know looked ashamed.

" Very well... but for your information, I am looking at the costumes, not the girls." He exclaims to us before calling a waitress and ordering a parfaits, crêpes for all of us and a cup of coffee for me and Monika.

We proceed to chat about our plans for today and what booths we will visit. We shut down Akami-sama's plan to check on the Anime Club's cosplay event. From what I heard, today is the girl's turn to cosplay. After talking for a while, we decided to go check out the different food stalls in the quadrangle, visit the musical performance by the Music Club, then go visit the Art Club's gallery before going into the horror hallway set up by Occult and Supernatural Studies Club. What the hell? What kinds of club does this school allow?

The food we ordered is finally here. We began to dig in and enjoy the sweet treats in front of us. As expected of the Cooking Club, this is delicious! We made our positive remarks for a moment before continuing to finish the treats in front of us. It seems the ice cream used in the parfait is home made and the batter for the crêpe is also made from scratch. After we finished eating, Akami-sensei paid for the food and we rested for a moment to let the sweet treat we have eaten settle down in our stomachs. After we are done resting, we stand up and left the cafe to go walk around and participate in the school festival.

Sayori spent all her money on the different foods found in the quadrangle, I lent her some money due to her begging me for it. Monika enjoyed the musical that was presented my the Music Club. She really enjoyed the part where someone plays the Moonlight Sonata on the piano. Natsuki was amazed by the art in the Art Club's room, but she was more interested in the manga that was created by the Art Club's president. I bought her the manga she was looking at, then got a " I-I d-didn't ask you to b-buy this me... dummy" response from Natsuki. At the end of the day, we went trough the 'Hallway of Horrors' one of the east wings of the school. Sayori and Natsuki stayed behind, along with Akami-sama. Monika, Yuri and I made our way to the end of the hallway. As Yuri was having a thrill, Monika and I were really disturbed. One of the jump scares is a hanged man, the other was a body with multiple knives sticking out and a mannequin with a broken neck and black eyes. This brought back tons of bad memories. As we reach the end of the hallway and went around the back to fetch the group, Yuri looks at us and asks.

" Umm... A-Are you two alright? D-Did I dragged you g-guys into something you don't like? T-The two of y-you look pale, it almost seem like you both saw a real ghost." Yuri asks with a worried tone.

" Nah, we're fine. We are just still recovering from some of the jump scares." Monika replies to Yuri to comfort and ease her anxiety.

" Oh, I'm glad. Oh look, they are waiting for us." Yuri points at the end of the hallway and I look up and see the three waving at us cheerfully. Well, I guess tht ends our tour for today. We head back to the club room to pick up our stuff and head home.

As we say goodbye to each other, Akami-sensei drops by the club to pick up Natsuki and bring her home to my house. I told Akami-sama to also take Sayori with him. Sayori protested at first, but eventually give in to my request. Yuri heads home alone, which kinda saddens me, leaving me and Monika alone in the club room once again.

" This has been a fun day, huh?" Monika asks as she gives me a warm hug.

" Mhm, it was fun. But I still can't shake that feeling off, that feeling that something is still coming." As I begin to ponder about it, Monika gives me a short kiss on my cheek. I turn my head to meet the gaze of her glistening green eyes.

" Hey, don't worry! I'm here by your side to help you out. Now, why don't we go home together? We can now walk home while holding hands since Sayori isn't with us." She smile as she locks her fingers around mine.

" Sure! I'd love that." I give her a warm smile before we walk out the door. We begin to walk home, holding hands every single step of the way.

We reach my house to see it empty. I look at Sayori's bed room window and saw that the two were there. Sayori notices me and waves at me, I wave back and told the two to stay there while I make dinner. Monika and I enter the house and took a sit in the dining room. We thought about the possible dinner we could cook for them. As we discuss it, I ask Monika to check if she can find the file for Natsuki's dad. She nods at me and begin to look trough the game's file. I look at the time and saw it was already 5:30 pm. I stand up and begin to prepare the marinated mushrooms and vegan meatloaf. The evening was silent, due to the both of us being engrossed in our tasks. There was no exchange of words occurring between us. After an hour, I place the meatloaf in the oven and I finished making the marinated mushrooms. I was about to ask Monika about her work when the we heard the doorbell ring. I run up to the door and opened it, thinking it was the two coming over to eat. But when I threw open the door to greet the two girls, I was shocked by the person that stood in front of me.

The person wore a suit that seems like it hasn't been washed in days, and has streaks and stains of food and alcohol. He is pale and thin, it looks like a strong gust of wind could blow him away. His hair is messy and greasy, and his face pale and hollow, devoid of joy and life. He tried to smile but it only worsened his horrible and ugly features. He ipened his mouth, and with a coarse, raspy and deep voice asked a question that made all color from my face drain away.

" Hello young man... H-Have you seen my daughter Natsuki? She ran away from home yesterday, and I think she has been seen here by a few neighbors. Would you call her out to me?" I was petrified in fear, this is the man that caused Natsuki's suffering, and now he stands in front of me. I called out to Monika in my mind.

" _Monika! Get out of here, quickly. Teleport into Sayori's house and keep them safe."_ I pretend to think about my answer as I wait for Monika's demand.

" _O-Okay, but make sure you're gonna be okay, alright?"_ I smile as I hear the faint sound of codes dispersing. I look Natsuki's dad in the eye and gave my answer.

" No, Natsuki is not with me right now. I live alone, as you can see." I point inside my empty house. He was silent, then his face contorted into that of irritation.

" Don't fuck with me boy. I know she is here... Now, where is she?!" He sounds angry, perfect. If I'm right, there is a CCTV hidden inside the light bulb in my porch. He looks inside the house and started to shout Natsuki's name over and over.

" Sir, for the last time... Me, or my club mates haven't seen Natsuki. So, please leave the premises of my house or I will be forced to ca-" I was stopped short of my sentence when he grab me by my collar and tried to lift me. Since,

he wasn't able to lift me off my feet, he pushed me to the wall of my porch and looked straight into my eyes with this angry look on his face.

" I TOLD YOU NOT TO FUCK WITH ME BRAT!!! Now, if you don't tell me where my daughter is, you are about to enter a world of pain." He threatened me as he raised a fist. Before I could answer, I heard the opening of windows.

" DAD! STOP! I'M RIGHT HERE! DON'T HURT HIM!"We both look at the open window of Sayori's bedroom. Natsuki is crying and being pulled back by Monika and Sayori into the safety of the bedroom. He smiled maniacally and looked at me once again.

" Trying to hide my daughter from me, huh? You little brat! Take **this**!" I close my eyes to prepare for the incoming punch, I could hear the three shout 'Noooo!' **from** the distance. Strangely, the punch never came. I opened my eyes to see Natsuki's dad looking at his side and his fist being pulled and held by a hand. It was Akami-sama.

" Excuse me sir, I can't help but notice what you are doing with a good student of mine. Care to explain?" The god spoke calmly, but he had a really serious look on his face. Natsuki's dad let go of my collar and I ran to the side of Akami-sama.

" Yeah, I'll tell you what's happening. That punk kidnapped and hid my daughter from me. I'm just trying to teach the brat a lesson, that's all." He spoke in an angry voice while glaring at me.

" Hmmm... I see, but do you really need to discipline the kid with violence?" Akami-sama spoke once again with a calm voice, which seemed to anger Natsuki's dad even more.

" I'll fucking discipline the little shit however I want!" He shouted at the god, who still had a serious look on his face.

" If I recall correctly, I think your actions are punishable by law under the Child Abuse and Prevention Act. Do you not agree, sir?" Akami-sama glared back at Natsuki's father, who is now agitated and being driven into a corner.

" Just who in the fuck do you think you are?! I can charge you people with kidnapping! Now give me back my daughter!" He clenched his fist and glared at Akami-sama, who is now smiling.

" Who am I? I'm a concerned Highschool teacher who cares for the well being of my students." Akami-sama laughs at the angry man infront of him.

" What's do funny, dipshit? You think I'm joking around?" He threatened Akami-sama, who now begins to chuckle to himself.

" Well, a teacher's pay is low, but at least it beats being unemployed and in debt! Ahaha~ And at least I have clean and presentable clothes unlike so-"

" SHUT THE FUCK UP BITCH!" Natsuki's dad threw a jab straight into Akami-sama, but the god merely dodged and grabbed his arm. Like a scene from a kung-fu movie, he subdued Natsuki's dad by twisting his arm and tackling him o the ground.

" Now, now, let's not get violent. Children are watching. Besides, look, the police are already here." As Natsuki's dad struggled to break free, two police cars pulled over and two officers came to collect him.

" Thank you for informing the police about this, you did the right thing citizen. But we will have to take you in for questioning." As Natsuki's dad was being shoved into the police car, he kept shouting vulgarities at the god. Akami-sama obediently got in the other car and the vehicles drove off quickly. I pulled myself together and ran to Sayori's room

I gently open the door.


	15. Tuesday Evening, Wednesday Morning

I gently open the door to see if the girls are doing fine. I enter the room with a nervous smile when a fist punches me in the gut. It isn't that painful, but I still recoil from it. I look at the person who threw that punch, it was Natsuki. She had tears in her eyes and her body is shivering.

" DUMMY! IDIOT! YOU NEARLY GOT BEATEN UP!" She continue punching me weakly in my abdomen. Tears are forming in the corners of her pink eyes.

" That was reckless of you, idiot! You could have gotten seriously hurt... and it would have been my fault..." Natsuki stop throwing her punches and her fist now rested on my chest. Her arm is quivering heavily.

" I'm... sorry... I dragged you into this... I should've helped you in some way..." She rested her head on my chest and sob quietly. I pat her bright, pink colored hair in an effort to try and comfort her.

" There, there. Everything is fine now, it's not your fault." I tightly embrace Natsuki like a child hugging their stuffed toy. It seems to comfort her. I gently caress her pink hair to try and calm her down.

" Still, that was irresponsible of you. If Akami-sensei wasn't there, who knows what would have happened to you!" Monika folds her arms and pouts at me. I glance at Sayori's direction to see that she had a worried expression on her face.

" Sorry! Sorry! I won't do anything like that again, okay? Anyway, I think the meatloaf is ready." I pull away from the hug with Natsuki and smile.

" Why don't we eat first before you guys start scolding me, okay?" Monika and Sayori let out a sigh while Natsuki wipes away the tears on her face.

We head out of Sayori's house and walk silently towards mine. The atmosphere around us is heavy and tense. We passed by Natsuki's dad's car and I shiver at the sight of the interior of it. Empty bottles of alcohol are strewn about along with pieces of trash in the seats. We enter my hoyse and I quietly close the door behind us. I went to the kitchen and pull out the meatloaf in from the oven. I turn to look at the trio, Monika and Sayori did their best to comfort the weeping Natsuki. I sigh as I set the meatloaf on a plate to cooldown. I set the silverware and plates for the three of us and begin to serve them their meals. I sit down and we begin to eat in silence. I did my best to try and lighten up the mood, but after what just happened earlier, I don't think it's possible.

" Hey... Natsuki, don't be so hard on yourself! It's not your fault that Yoku nearly got beaten up by your dad that was looking for you. Wait... oh." Sayori accidentally made the situation more awkward. She mouths me an 'I'm sorry.' and proceeds to fill her mouth with the meatloaf.

" A-Anyway, the vegetarian meatloaf you made is really delicious!" Monika smiles and eats a spoonful of the meatloaf.

" Y-Yeah, thank you... I did my best to make it taste like real meat." I say proudly to the brunette, who was busy eating the meatloaf. She gives a thumbs up as she chewed her food.

" Anyway, Natsuki, are you feel-" The front door creaks open, and a haggard and tired god enter my house. He walks slowly and sleepily towards the chair beside me and sits. He then plops his head on the table, making a loud thud before letting out an exhausted groan.

" Oh man... I have paperwork and hearings to attend to tomorrow until Friday. Ugh... this is why I hate human laws." After he finished complaining, the two pink haired girls give him a strange look.

" Human laws? Hearings? What happened Akami-sensei?" Sayori asks the god with a tone of concern and curiosity.

" Oh, uhm... I mean I hate dealing with law stuff, I prefer studying laws about physics and such. You know, the laws of Science and Physics and stuff, Ahaha~" The god is once again lying himself out of a pickle, and the naive airhead infront of him believed it.

" Oh, I almost forgot! Natsuki, sorry to bother you... but I need you to come with me tomorrow to the court house." Natsuki's eyes widen with shock as she look at the god, who was resting his head on the table.

" W-What?! Why?!" Natsuki stands up from her chair in surprise.

" Well, one of the cases laid against him is child abuse and neglect. You need to testify against him if you want him to be punished." Natsuki is frozen with fear as the god explains to her the situation.

" Look, Natsuki... I know it would be a hard thing for you to do. I understand, no child should ever testify against their parents. If... If you don't want to, it's fine, but the moment he finishes serving time for his other charges, you'll be back to living with him." Even though Akami-sama is weary and tired, he stands up and places a hand on Natsuki's shoulder.

" This is for your own good. I'm pretty sure everyone here would help you get back on your feet once this ordeal is over." The god smiles at Natsuki, before letting out a yawn. Natsuki is somehow comforted by this.

" I... I'll go. Akami-sensei, I'll be in your care for tomorrow." Natsuki's voice is quivering at the pressure. The god sigh and gives her head a gentle pat.

" Guess I'll just have to recite your poem tomorrow, Natsuki. Ahaha~" Monika smile and stare at Natsuki.

" Oh, jeez... You better not mess it up! I worked really hard on that!" Natsuki huffed at Monika, who just giggled at her.

" I won't, now finish up your meal so you can go back to Sayori's place." Monika ordered Natsuki, who reluctantly complied. The god laughs as he walks out the door and leaves.

I jump on my bed after taking a hot shower. Man, that shower hit the spot! It's just what the doctor ordered after a long day like this. I close my eyes to try and get some shut eye. Suddenly, a heavy weight falls on top of me and I could feel the air from my lungs get squeezed out. I open my eyes to see what is the cause of this, only to be met by the gaze of a pair of glistening and moist emerald green eyes. She has a seductive smile spread across her face.

" You know Yoku... I was really envious of Natsuki. The way you have been treating her and spending time with her." She embraces me tightly, I could feel her warmth and heartbeat due to our intimacy. She leans her head forward and proceeds to whisper into my ear.

" I was really afraid I might lose you to Natsuki. You seem to be much more fixated towards her than me." She hugs me tightly like she is holding on to a fading object.

" Good grief, you're such a possessive person at times. Monika, I'm just helping Natsuki deal with the stress and problems she have right now. I'm not planning on romancing anyone else in the world, Just Monika, right?" I return her warm embrace as I say these words. She purr as I run my fingers trough her brown hair. She looks up to me with those mesmerizing green eyes which twinkled under the light of the moon.

" Then, promise me you won't leave me." Monika wanted my reassurance, her cute yet obsessive attachment to me made my heart throb. I smile and held her hand before plunging in for a kiss. I pull away shortly after and with a reassuring tone, I said;

" I promise to never leave you be. I promise to share all of my time with you in this reality, be it times of joy or tragedy, I want to experience it all with you until the day I die." I press my forehead against hers and close my eyes. The sound of our soft breathing can be heard in the now silent room.

" So... do you also promise to stay by my side forever?" I ask Monika, who gleefully replies instantly.

" Yes! I will gladly spend all of my waking moments with you, now and forever.," She smiles and looks up to me, revealing the droplets of tears that are forming in her eyes. I wipe them away before holding her right cheek with my right hand. We leaned forward and a passionate French kiss broke out between us.

Our tounges danced with each other, exchanging our saliva and love with each other. I held her face sensually with my right hand while I pulled her closer with my left. We pull away from each other for a moment, a line of saliva connecting our two lips. We are panting and gasping for air as we press our bodies together. I could feel myself getting hotter and agitated. The feeling of my blood gushing towards my cheeks and groin is too much to bear. I got on top of her and I feel a surge of lust take over my mind for a bit. I stare at Monika's beautiful figure, my hand moved away from her face and towards the first button of her pajamas.

" Yoku... I can't take it anymore! I... I want to do it! My body... I feel hot right now." Monika gasps out, her voice could be mistaken for moans.

" Yeah, I-I want to do it to! Monika..." I stare into Monika's eyes and lean forward. I grazed my lips on top of hers in order to tease her for a bit before I truly dive into a deep and steamy kiss.

Her muffled moans just turned me on even more. Our legs were in a position that my right leg is in between her thick thighs. She arches her back as I held her arms above her head. My left hand is now unbuttoning the buttons that covered her blue bra. But before I could fully undo the buttons, we hear a chair move and a familiar voice letting out a 'tsk'.

" Good grief. Earlier today you kept judging and criticizing me for looking at the costumes of highschool girls. Now here you two minors are, on the verge of doing something only adults should do." Akami-sama sat infront of us with a mischievous grin on his face. Before I could react, Monika let out a shriek before pushing me off of her. I landed on the floor, my face breaking my fall.

" Yoku! I'm SO sorry! Are you hurt?" Monika leapt off the bed and help me stamd up.

" Y-Yeah... I'm fine... BUT WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" I angrily shout at the god. Akami-sama merely laughs in amusement as we stumbled to fix ourselves.

" I'm not saying you should stop. Ehehe~" Akami-sama chuckled as he reposition himself into a more comfortable posture.

" I genuinely... hate you." Monika mutter out as she buttons up her pajamas. The god places a hand on his chest and fakes a hurt expression.

" Ouch, harsh words for the being that made your romance possible! Anyway, I digress from the topic at hand." The god brings up a command console that is different than the one Monika uses.

" I'm losing the administrator privileges and I feel that something is taking them. I've been looking at the world files for a while now... but I haven't found anything." He let out a saddened sigh before slumping back into his seat.

" Is this... why you're dying?" I ask the god with concern. His only reply is a laugh.

" What? No! You see Yoku, I'm a foreign line of codes that this universe, or any other universe beside mine, does not recognize. I'm not really dying, I'm being deleted like a virus in a computer." The god's chuckle slowly fades away.

" The universe is nothing more but a super computer, and I am a program from a different one. It takes a while for the universe I'm in to create a kill code to delete me, but when it does, my data and program gets deleted forever... I think." The god lets out a chuckle once more, but the two of us give him a concerned and worried look.

" Is... Is there a way to save you?" Monika asks the god, who shakes his head side to side.

" No, I tried a long time ago. Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about!" He shows the game files on his command console.

" Look, I know it's a little late to tell you guys, but I made this reality by using Yoku's reality as a template. I took out some unwanted elements from his world that would hinder his progress with the girls." Akami-sama pause for a moment to catch his breath.

" That would mean Yoku has no real family here or any events from his old life did not happen here. I made it so that only you and Monika are the only ones who know about the old reality. The memories that the girls have from the past are not really fake, but rather altered memories." The god explained as he went trough the files of the girls.

" Yoku, look, I replaced an old file in this world. I think it was the main character's, I'm not really sure, but whatever the case, I replaced him with you. I took him out of the memories of any person here with a connection to him and placed you in his place." We look at the god in shock.

" I... see. Anyway, what did you wanted to say to us?" I ask the god curiously. What is so important that this being had to tell us right now?

" I was looking at the paperwork earlier and saw that I was technically your legal guardian. It made me think about how could I help you after I die? Well, the answer is simple! You will inherit 10 million dollars from me to fund your education in this world!" Monika and I look at each other in frustration. I could feel a blood vessel in my head explode.

" You... could have told us that tomorrow. What the hell man?! Your death won't come until Sunday, so why the hell do you have to tell me this on Tuesday?! What is your reason to disturb us?!" I angrily snap at him. He laughs at my expression.

" Because I don't want to have grandkids yet! Now, if you excuse me, I have some paperwork to do. Oh, and take this!" Before he enters a portal, he throws out a pack of condoms before winking at us before disappearing.

" Yoku, are you... still in the mood to cuddle?" Monika tugs at my shirt. I turn around to see that her face is red due to embarrassment. I smile and pat her head.

" Sure! Let's just cuddle for the night. That damn god might be watching us." I settle into bed and pull Monika closer to me. She wraps ourselves in a blanket and snuggles her head unto my chest.

" You know, we're so lucky Akami-sama is a nice person. I wonder why he would sacrifice his life for another person's wish." Monika sleepily blurts out those words before closing her eyes. But the question stuck with me, what is this god's motive? I look at the time and saw it was already 10 in the evening. I wrap my right arm around Monika's shoulder before dozing off.

I woke up due to my stupid alarm clock falling on my face. Monika sits up and looks around the room to see what happened. Her gaze turned to my swollen nose and rectangular red mark on my face. We both laugh at this misfortune of mine before starting the morning routine we have. I cook breakfast for four people, Monika and I chat about romantic or interesting topics as we eat said breakfast. Monika goes home to take a bathe and change into her uniform and I do the same, and finally, I pack up the breakfast I made and go to Sayori's house. This routine may sound boring, but spending quality time with the girl I love is actually a nice start of the day.

I walk up to Sayori's house and knock. The door flew open to see a tired and sleepy Sayori. I look behind her and saw that Natsuki was lying on the sofa with her legs outstretched and a manga on her face as she slept along with empty wrappers around her. Sayori might have worn her uniform already, but it's way messier today. I ask her what the hell did she and Natsuki do all night. She grin as she recall the events of last night.

" We watched anime, read manga and ate lots of sweets. Ehehe~ I think we only got 4 hours of sleep." She chuckle as she stumble out the door.

" Sayori, are you sure you can go to school? You don't seem to be in good shape." I ask her with genuine concern for the poor girl. She turns around and smiles at me.

" I'll be fiiiiine~ Now, just leave Natsuki's breakfast inside the house." Sayori stammer out sleepily. I sigh and place the container on the coffee table before leaving for school.

" Who the hell had the idea to go watch anime the entire night?" I ask Sayori, who surprisingly, now looks as energetic as usual.

" Akami-sensei! He stayed for a few more hours before leaving around 9:00 pm." I sigh as Sayori merrily walks beside me. That damn god has no idea how to handle children.

We continue to walk to school, happily talking about the different animes they marathoned. I didn't really have the guts to scold her so I let it go this one time. I smile as she told me how much fun Natsuki was having. At least that girl can now enjoy her favorite past time. We reach the school and immediately head towards the club room. We enter the door to see Monika setting up some freshly baked cupcakes that look like Natsuki's.

" Hey, Yoku! I made all of these cupcakes for the club! Do you like them?" She winks at me, telling me that this are just coded cupcakes. I took a bite out of one and thought that it was the sams as Natsuki's! I give her a thumbs up to signal to her that the cupcakes taste good. She nods and continues to do her task. Sayori went to the vemding machine to buy snacks while Yuri went to the girl's comfort room.

I took a pamphlet and proceed to read my poem. Geez, this is gonna be a long day once again! I practiced my poem, memorizing each line word for word. When everyone went back to the club room, Monika informed us that our schedule has been moved earlier. I groan at this sudden announcement, but before I could complain about it, a girl with red hair and glasses enter the classroom.

" Uhm... I-Is this, the Literature Club?" The girl ask with a curious yet shy tone.

" Yes! But... the event us'"

" Oh, I'm not here for the event." The girl cut Monika off and took out a red heart shaped letter.

" I... I have a favor to ask you guys."


	16. Trouble

The girl handed us a poem. Her face was red yet her expression is that of resolve. I took the letter and inspected it, it is definitely a love letter.

" Uhm... I w-want to tell my best friend how I really feel... and I figured since he likes poetry and literature, this would be a great way to confess to him." She nervously stammered out. We stood silent and stare at the letter.

" Really?! Well... I don't know about you, but we are more than willing to help anyone who asks." Monika gave a warm smile at the girl, while the others are stunned by the girl's boldness.

" Oh, then... would you please perform this later in your event? It would really help me see his reaction and have an idea if I should really continue with this." She stammers nervously. Her voice was shaking and filled with embarrassment. I sigh and look at the girl's letter.

" May I... read it?" I ask the girl in front of me. She nods and I open the letter to read to letter. It is a simple prose about 7 lines long.

 _I'm tired of just waiting,_

 _I'm done with only watching,_

 _I'm finished with admiring,_

 _I don't want to smile with you anymore,_

 _I want to be your reason to smile._

 _But most of all, I don't want us to be just friends,_

 _I want us to be something more than that._

I took in the message of the prose. This girl had guts, and I she has my respect because of this. The girl is flustered and embarrassed, droplets of sweat are forming on her face due to someone reading her poem. I hand it back to her and sigh. She has a worried look on her face as I fold my arms.

" No." I say to her sternly. The color from her face drained away. The trio of girls behind me looks at me in shock while thier jaws hang ajar in the air.

" Yoku! W-W-What do you mean 'no'?! We need to help her confess her feelings!" Sayori ran up to me and looks at me with puppy eyes. The airhead doesn't know about how this thing works, huh? But I understand why she wants to help this girl in her romance.

" That's the point Sayori. It should be her saying this beautiful message to the person. But it's up to us to lend her a hand and give her the support she needs." I say to Sayori with confidence. Joy return to the redhead as she smiles broadly and jumps in joy then proceeds to give me a hug. Sayori's confusion is replaced by joy and proceeds to hug me also.

" T-Thank you! I'll be in your care then!" The two lets go from the hug they both give me. The red head tucks a tuft of her hair behind her ear and proceeds to bow hear head to introduce herself.

" Amy, Amy Sakurano, I haven't introduced myself. It's a pleasure to meet you guys!" She raises her head and smiles warmly at us. Monika steps forward to also greet her.

" Well, the pleasure is ours. Now, let me introduce to the members of this small club. The sweet and caring man beside me is Yoku, the little ball of energy right here is Sayori and the timid one at the back is Yuri. Welcome to the Literature Club!" Monika extends an inviting arm towards Amy, she has the exact same pose in the game's start menu.

" I look forward to working with you guys!" Amy smiles broadly as she clasps her hands together. Monika looks pleased at this. Looks like we got ourselves a new member, at least this festival is a success.

" Anyway, you better start practicing that bold confession of yours. The event is about to start in about an hour and a half." I remind Amy, who starts to get excited.

" Oh, okay! I'll just look for my friend. I'll be back in a few!" Amy grabs the letter and runs out the door. We laugh triumphantly for we have achieved our goal for the festival.

" I-I do hope this goes well for the girl. It would be s-soul crushing if she gets rejected." Yuri stammers out as she grabs the diffuser and prepares it for use. Just as I was about to answer, the door opens to reveal a boy just about my height. He has dark brown eyes and raven hair that is tied into a small pony tail. He seems to be the timid type cause he stammer into the room with his body shaking in nervousness.

" U-Umm... H-Have you guys seen a girl with r-red hair come in here?" The boy has a high pitched voice. I nod at him, and he let out a sigh of relief.

" Do you guys know where she went?" He asked shyly, his shaking finally stops.

" Yeah, she said she was looking for her friend." I told him as I look at his fidgety right hand. I notice he was holding a piece of paper.

" Oh, she must be looking for me. T-Thank you so much!" He turns around quickly to try and catch up to the girl. But before he could leave the door, I catch him by the collar of his blazer and pull him back in.

" Hey... I see that thing you're holding. I have a suggestion for you..." I could see the girls eyeing me closely as I began to whisper to him my plans.

(Akami-sama POV)

The drive to the court house is silent between the both of us. The time is about 9 in the morning, an hour and a half before the club's performance. The car's stereo blasted the exhilarating music of Initial D's GAS GAS GAS. I look at Natsuki in the back using my rear view mirror. She looked sorrowful as she looks outside the window. I could see it, dread and fear is clouding her heart and mind. I could sense that she is afraid of what is to come. I ponder for a bit, before switching the music.

" Hey... do you like Vocaloids? Mainly... Hatsune Miku?" She perks up at the mention of the name. Aha! Finally, I could see a break in that gloomy and hard exterior of hers. She nods firmly, but her expression remains unchanged.

" Very well, what song do you like?" I ask politely to the intrigued girl. There! I see it! The smile that she hid once more with a pout.

" Triple Baka... I would like that..." Natsuki murmured quietly, yet still audibly.

" Oh! I love that one! Sure!" I select the song in my playlist and the car's speaker soon spewed out Japanese words. At first it was only I that sang along, but soon, Natsuki joins and we sing the song together. After a while, the song finally ends and we both laugh our asses off.

" You know, I'm glad I have a fellow Hatsune Miku lover in the car with me. Do you constantly listen to her songs as well?" The atmosphere once again falls heavy and silent. It seems I made a mistake once again. However, before I could apologize, she nods her head and begin to open up.

" M-My dad... doesn't really let me do anything that I like. He would get really... mad if he sees me listening to stuff like this. Damn idiot..." The last part I hear her murmur under her breath. Damn, this girl is just like Yoku, huh? Basically the same family problems, just different in the people that managed to help them.

" Natsuki... Look, you don't have to force yourself to tell these things to me. I understand that it is painf- WHAT THE HELL!" I swerve to the side of the road and slam on the brakes. Thankfully, the two of us were not harmed and I managed to minimize the damage to my car. A damn blue car was counter flowing and driving like a maniac. After a moment, a few poluce cars chased after it. I check on Natsuki, who was rattled by the situation, but is now slowly recovering.

" Hey, you ok?" I ask the girl, who seems to be hyperventilating.

" Y-yeah..." She says between breaths. I sigh as I take a look at the damage. Just a scratch at the right passenger door. I sigh and look at Natsuki, who is now slowly calming down.

" Let's just... get to the court house... okay?" Natsuki, still shaken, nods lightly. I groan as I began to move my vehicle once again.

As we drove off, I can't help but think about the driver of that car. Such a familiar face...

( Yoku's POV)

Man, do we have a surprise for Amy. As a crowd started to fill the seats, Monika got up the stage to begin introducing us. I gave a thumbs up to Amy and her friend, who introduced himself to us as Yosuke Abe. I prepare myself for my cue to go on the stage. Yuri and Sayori are still practicing their pieces, so I pull out my copy and proceed to do the same. But before I could even read the title, Monika calls me up the stage.

" Well, let's get started! The first person to perform would be Yoku Shiseki. Take it away, Yoku!" Monika got off the stage and nudges me towards the stage. The room fell silent as I began to read the words of my poem out loud.

 _Choices_

 _Infront of me are two choices._

 _I close my eyes and shut out the voices,_

 _I open my eyes to see_

 _the choices that would define me._

 _On one hand is a path of salvation,_

 _the other is destruction._

 _Yet whatever I choose,_

 _In the end, I have nothing to lose._

Meh, it's a poem I just made in a few minutes. But the people still cheer for me as I get off the stage. I took a sit beside Sayori, who began to shake me while telling me I did a good job. Monika and Yuri are gonna recite a poem together. It is about a teacher and a student, but instead of the student learning from the teacher, it's the other way around. Yuri portrayed the teacher, while Monika said the student's lines. It is an amazing performance, both of them did really well and they both were on the spot when it comes to conveying the emotions of the poem. After they were done, Sayori is up next. She had to recite both her poem and Natsuki's poem. Sayori made a comedic poem that caused the room to erupt in laughter, while Natsuki is a cute and childish poem. Sayori performed Natsuki's poem while doing her mannerisms and trying to make her voice sound like Natsuki's. Natsuki's poem made Sayori look like a kid who is reciting a piece in front of their parents, well... she does think like a kid sometimes. As she bows her head to the audience, they let out an 'Awwwww...' and their faces looks like they just saw a grade schooler perform in front of a large crowd. Monika got up the stage and she smiles broadly towards Amy.

" Now, why don't we hear from the Literature Club's newest member? Let's give it up for Amy Sakurano!" Amy timidly stammered onto the stage. Her large round glasses and two pigtails give her a timid and shy aura. But the moment she spoke her heart towards Yosuke, her voice is filled with confidence and emotion.

I'm tired of just waiting,

I'm done with only watching,

 _The chance I have is now disappearing._

I'm finished with only admiring,

 _a smile that makes my days worthwhile,_

for I want to be the reason for that smile.

But most of all, I don't want _to be a girl in the side line,_

 _I want you to be mine._

 _I like that idea, it's really nice,_

 _No, I love the thought to be precise._

 _I've thought about it more than twice,_

 _And I must say, I don't think being 'just friends' would suffice._

 _So after I bare my heart and confess,_

 _would you say mind saying 'yes'?_

Amy panted as she finishes expressing her feelings. The room fell silent as Amy's face turn red. Suddenly, Yosuke stands up and goes up stage and takes the mic from Amy's hands.

 _A red flower bud is seen in the midst of many,_

 _Yet its petals is what made it so uncanny._

 _It has an alluring scent,_

 _which shivers down my spine it sent._

 _A soft and gentle exterior,_

 _Is what made it so superior._

 _It pulled me closer,_

 _And I saw it become a flower._

 _I was mesmerized,_

 _Because it made me surprised,_

 _To see the flower reveal its secrets_

Yosuke held Amy's hands, while everyone is in shock and awe. This two lovers just confessed their love for each other in front of a crowd. Sayori covered her mouth to hide her shocked expression, Yuri is frozen in place while Monika merely watch as the two look intently at each others eyes.

" W-Would you be my girlfriend... Amy?" Yosuke ask Amy timidly.

" Of course! I would love that!" As the two lovebirds gave each other a hug, the crowd stands up and cheers for the boldness of the two. Before anything more could happen, Monika finally decides to formally end the event.

We spend the rest of the day attending the different events and participating in the different booths in the festival. Sayori is ahead of us, eyeing the different kinds of food in the stalls. I was between Yuri and Monika while we walked, with Yosuke and Amy lagging behind us. We spent the remaining hours of school doing this. It was a pretty fun day all in all, except Sayori managed to blow trough my pocket money in my wallet because of her excessive eating. Yuri, Amy and Yosuke already went home together since their houses are close to one another. The three of us were about to start walking home when I stop.

" You two go ahead, I'll just do some shopping! I want to surprise you guys with something." The two looks at me with curiosity.

" Huh? But the refrigerator is still filled with food." Monika says while she pondered about it.

" Yeah... but I don't think I can make it at home." I tell Monika, who now looks even more baffled.

" Then, can I come with you?" Sayori pleads to me with puppy eyes.

" Nope! You might just make me spend more money.Look, I'll just show you the surprise when I get home later." They both sigh before finally waving me goodbye. I wave goodbye to the two before I dash to the opposite direction towards the shopping district.

After a while, well 10 minutes to be precise, I finally made it there. The place is bustling with people, shops lined the streets selling all kinds of stuff. I look for a while before I found it, the bakery. I went inside and bought a chocolate cake with the words 'Congratulations' on it. I quickly made my way home because the sky is slowly turning darker. As I made my way home, I took out my phone and saw that I missed about... 70 CALLS from Akami-sama. I dialed the number and I wait for his answer. He picked up nearly instantly and proceeds to stammer out incoherent sounds into the phone.

" Hey! Calm down! What the hell happened? What do you want?" I shout trough the phone, which manage to calm the god a bit.

" H-He escaped! Yoku you need to be careful! Police are already on their way to escort you and the girls... And... And-" Once again, the god began to stutter. I sigh and I tell him to clarify on who escaped.

" Natsuki's dad! He escaped just before we got there! So be careful!" I freeze in shock. That damn psycho is on the lose... and I made Sayori and Monika go home alone! I immediately started to dash towards the direction of my home.

It seems in my flight to get home quickly, I took a wrong turn and I ended up in a small alleyway. But as I was about to get out the alleyway, a figure appeared and pushed me back in. He wore a black hoodie and held a small bat in his right arm. He was panting like an animal who just caught its prey and his eyes glowed with fiery anger. Damn it... it seems Monika and Sayori is safe, but I'm not. In front of me stood Natsuki's dad, and he is not in a good mood.

" I've been looking for you, you little shit!" He took a step forward and I took a step backward.

" I despise you for what you did to my daughter. You turned her into a rebellious brat! I won't forgive you for that..." He took two paces forward, I took one before feeling the concrete wall behind me.

" You know, I would really enjoy beating the life out of you. After you, maybe I'll go for the three girls you're looking after. Maybe I'll start with the one with the blue eyes... Yes, she would make for a good punching bag." He started to inch closer towards me. I stay silent with the taunts he is throwing at me.

" Then go for Natsuki... Yeah, I think I'll discipline her for good, bitch needs to be taught a lesson. Then lastly, the brunette with that silly white bow, maybe I won't beat the shit out of her, she has a fine body after all... Ufufufufu... is she your girl, I wonder? If she is it would be more fun to do it then. Ahahahahaha!" As this psycho laugh manically, I felt something I haven't felt in a long time. Rage and angef. I clench my hand into a fist so hard, blood dripped from the palm of my hand. I took a step forward and give him a glare.

" Oh? You want to fight? Little piece of shit... you think YOU CAN TAKE ME? HUH?" He lifted the bat over his head and runs at me. Since I have nowhere else to go, I also charge at him.

" MOTHERFUCKER, I'LL KILL YOU!" I shout at him before I tackled him. He manage to hit my shoulder with a bat, but I shrug it off.

I manage to bring him to the ground and disarm him, but it is apparent that our fight will continue. We threw out punches and profanities at each other as we engage in a fist fight. He manages to push me off of him and kicks me towards the wall. It stings for a second, but I continue to maintain my stance. He charges at me and I manage to throw out a straight jab into his nose, but he still hit me with a left hook to my left side. I wince at the pain, but I still continue to throw out a flurry of punches. He may look thin, but his punches are no joke. I managed to knee him in the guts before giving him a right hook to the face. He stumble backwards for a second, then he spits out a teeth. He charges at me and tackles me.

Suddenly, he kicks me in my gut and gives me a punch to the face. I fell to the ground due to becoming disoriented. I spat out a warm liquid in my mouth before rolling out of the way from one of his kicks. I stand up, but it's hard to keep my balance. I know I can't fall here, if I do, the girls won't be safe at home. Due to desperation, I charge at him with all I've got. He threw out a punch, but I remembered what Akami-sama did to him. I dodge and grab his arm, then pulling it downward. It unbalances him and made him fall face flat to the ground. But before I could hold his arms, I failed to notice that he held the bat, so I didn't see the hit to my face.

I fall on my back and wince in pain. The swong hit my right side, and I could see there is bleeding. I got the strength to stand up, but he was already standing above me. He placed his boot on my chest and pressed down hard. My breathing became tighter, and I could feel myself getting weaker. He raised his bat above his head and swang down. Thankfully, I manage to catch it and bring it to a stop.

" Tsk, you still won't give up? Damn you!" He lets go of the bath and proceeds to strangle me. I tried to first get his hands off my neck, but it was futile.

" You know, I always loved it when I would make my girl dance by throwing bottles at her feet. Now, I could make you dance by strangling you." His grip became tighter. I could feel the air in my lungs being drained away. Due to desperation, I did what I have to do.

Using my free hand, I extended my thumb out and poke it into his right eye. He lets go and proceeded to cry out in pain. Without hesitation, I grab the bat and let out three swings. One from the right, then the left, before an overhead strike. He collapses on the floor, a small pool of blood forming on the ground. I lean on the wall before vomiting out blood and my food. I look at my side and saw that it was bleeding, I touch it one last time before I collapse beside him. In the distance I could hear the sirens of the police car and I could see the visage of multiple officers as my vision blurred.

" Yoku!!!" I could hear Monika shouting my name. I saw her blurry figure dart trough the police men and she held my head in her arms. Her green eyes filled with tears is the last thing I saw before I black out.


	17. Recovery

An abyss, nothing but a black and swirling void around me. It feels like I'm constantly falling in a bottomless pit. So this is how it feels to be unconscious. If I focus hard enough... I could hear the distant sounds of people talking and shouting and the sound of people crying beside me. Suddenly, I saw a bright light in front of me. I look closer and I see a pink textbox, like the one in the game.

[ It's time to wake up, dear]

I reach for the box, but it disappears just before I grab a hold of it. Then suddenly, A bunch of new ones materializes around me.

[ Yoku... please wake up]

[ We're all waiting for you here]

[ Everyone is worried about you, I'm worried about you]

[ So please... for my sake, open your eyes]

[ Please wake up]

[ Please wake up]

[ Please wake up]

[ Please wake up]

[ Please wake up]

[ Please wake up]

The words in those text boxes gave me a little bit of strength. The words ring trough my mind as I begin to focus on opening my eyes. Soon, I could hear the the sobbing of people around me and the pleas of my friends around me. After a while, a streak of bright light cross my vision before a blurry scene enter my view. The first thing I saw is the teary green eyes of Monika, her cheeks are red and puffy, a sign she has been crying for some time now. I smile as she suddenly gave me a really tight and warm embrace from my left side. I look around and I see that I'm in an hospital room, an IV bag connected to my arm by a long tube and a needle. I look and saw that everyone in the club is here, including Yosuke and Amy.

" H-How... long have I been out?" I ask weakly, my right side still hurts due to the blows I have received earlier.

" Hmmm... About an hour or so." Akami-sama said out loud as he sat in a chair watching TV. The god didn't even bother looking at me, his eyes are fixated at the cat girl on screen.

" Yoku! You're finally awake! Don't you do that ever again! But, but... I'm so glad you're here...Waaaaaaah!~" Sayori hugged me on my right side. I was about to give her a hug, but due to her pressing on my injuries, a jolt of pain is sent throughout my body.

" Ah! S-Sayori, it hurts..." I politely tell Sayori. She gasps and immediately lets go of me. Her worried expression made me chuckle lightly.

" I-I'm so sorry! I did not notice. Please forgive me!" Sayori tremble as I look at her. I smile warmly and shake my head lightly.

" Nah, It's okay. I know you didn't mean it." I say with a gentle tone. Sayori let out a sigh of relief before approaching me slowly. I raise a hand and pat her on her pink head. She cozies up to the pat, but suddenly, I felt my other hand being lifted up.

" Pet me too!" Monika places my hand atop her head. I gently pat her head while she purr at the touch.

" Yoku, U-Ummm, p-p-pe..." Yuri begins to mutter out something.

" Hmm? Yuri, is something wrong?" I ask curiosly to the tall girl. She gets flustered and immediately starts shaking her head.

" Nevermind." She mutters out before taking a sit beside me. She starts to caress the bandage on my right arm. I saw it, a glimmer of lust in her eyes, but it quickly disappears.

" A-are you sure you're o-okay, Yoku?" She asks gently as she held my hand. Their is something scary as her fingers touched mine, it was like something is digging into my hand.

" Yeah... I'm fine. But thanks for your concern, Yuri." I politely pull away my hand from her touch. She seems disappointed at this, but she manages to let out a smile.

" Anyway, why are you guys here?"" I ask the two at the foot of my bed. They were holding hands when they sigh at me.

" Come on! Do you really think we would not visit the person responsible for our romance? Besides, we haven't properly thanked you yet... so here!" The two run towards the small refrigerator and pulls out a large velvet cake with 'Get Well Soon!' written with vanilla icing on top of it.

" Wait, one two three... five, six... Where is Natsuki?" I look around the room. Natsuki's bright pink hair is like a beacon in the dark corner if the white room. She is as silent as an empty cemetery. She kept her head down and kept her arms to herself.

" Natsuki... what's wrong? Come here." I gesture at her to come forward. She took small steps and was slow to come near me. With the light now illuminating her face, I could see that she is crying.

" _Idiot_..." She mutter out the word, before rushing towards me and hugging me tightly. She begins to cry on me, though the embrace is painful, I just ignore the ain and return her hug.

" I'm... sorry! I drag you into this, and you got hurt because of it. I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." She buries her head on my chest. I could feel my shirt getting wet due to her tears. I look at Monika and I quietly mouth to her.

" _Give us some time alone."_ She nods and turns around.

" Okay everyone! Let's go buy some food for Yoku. That includes you, Akami-sensei." Monika gets up and turns off the TV. Akami-sama let out a sigh before he took everyone outside the room. As the doors close, I begin to gently ruffle Natsuki's pink hair.

" There, there, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself for what happened." I try to comfort Natsuki, who is still crying on me. Her tears are still flowing nonstop.

" No! It's my own damn fault! If only I knew how to do this alone, I... I would not have put you trough this." Her voice is pained, her usual snarky and defensive exterior is gone, replaced by a soft and caring nature because someone she cares for got hurt. This girl truly is a tsundere.

" Natsuki... You don't have to do this alone. I've said this before, the club is here for you, I'm... here for you." I say with a soothing tone. She clench her hands on my chest.

" Why... Why are you like this Yoku?" She pull away from her hug and look straight into my eyes. She cups my right cheek and her pink gaze penetrates my very being. Her eyes are still wet from tears, yet she wipes a few off her puffy cheeks.

" You are so nice and thoughtful to others, but because of this you end up getting hurt." She said with a concerned tone. Her eyes show pitg towards me.

" Geez, you're such an idiot of a hero... Acting heroic and such, then being beaten up by the villain." As she said those words, she began to lean closer to me.

" Natsuki! Umm... W-We, we shouldn't do th-" She place a finger on my lips and pout.

" Just shut up and close your eyes! It's embarrassing for me also." I sigh and shut my eyes. Monika, if anything bad happens... don't kill me! I felt a soft kiss on my cheek. The warmth of her body and her soft, silky skin made my heart skip a beat for a second. She pulls away and I open my eyes to see her puffing out her red cheeks and embarrassed expression.

" D-don't think a-a-anything bad about it... It's j-just a t-t-thank you gift from me, and stuff. I-IT'S NOT L-LIKE I... I... I LIKE Y-YOU O-OR ANYTHING! IDIOT!" She huffs at me before pouting and folding her arms at me. I chuckle a bit, before smiling at her.

" Tsundere." Her face turn red and I laugh as she began to rant at how dumb I am and how she is not a tsundere. After a few more minutes of me teasing her, the group finally returns to the room with burgers, but it seems Akami-sama is not with them.

Monika told me that Akami-sama drove the two home since it is getting pretty late. The five of us took the focus off ny injuries and towards the different other kinds of topics like how fun the festival is to what kinds of activities we all enjoy. All of us ate burgers, except for Monika, who ordered a salad. It was a relatively fun night, although I wish it was at home rather in the hospital. As we finished our meal and settled in to watch anime, I ask Monika discreetly about Natsuki's dad.

" That guy? Oh, he's doing fine in another hospital. Well, after he recovers, he is going away for a long time." Monika said as she let out a yawn. Suddenly, Akami-sama bursts trough the door.

" It seems we can finally admit you out, Yoku!" Akami-sama took a step sideward and a nurse came in to take out the IV bag and to get the needle out of my body. I feel a slight sting as the nurse pulls out the needle under the gauze pad. After the nurse sterilized and covered the spot where the needle entered my blood stream, she brought out a wheel chair for me to sit on.

" Let's get going then, shall we?" The god wheels me out of the room swiftly. As we quickly made our way out of the hospital, I heard the god mutter something.

" _I hate hospitals... It's so full of death."_ Before I could say anything, I hear the elevator doors open in front of me. We all got in and the doors closed in front of us.

" Akami-sama, I'm just going to wal-"

" Nope! I'm going to drive you to your house. It's very dangerous for a girl to walk home alone at night." Akami-sama cut Yuri off from what she was about to say. Yuri tried to argue, but the god is having none of it. Then, he reaches for something in his pocket.

" Well, fine... If you insist on walking home, ok. But then, who am I going to give this chocolate bar to?" The god has a grin like that of a predator who lured out his prey. Yuri's eyes lit up at the chocolate.

" A-Akami-sama, t-that's a really expensive chocolate! W-Where did you get that?!" Yuri exclaims as she look intensely at the sweet treat in front of her. Akami-sama hands the chocolate to the purple haired girl.

" Yup! It is expensive, and I it was hard to get my hands on one. So you owe me a favor, Yuri." The god laugh as Yuri got flustered and confused. Due to Yuri's timid and shy nature, it is hard for her to refuse the god since he already shoved the chocolate in her hands.

The elevator doors opens into the lobby and Akami-sama wheels me near the loadingloading area and entrusts me to the care of the four. He went to get the car so that it would be easier for me to get on. After a while, Akami-sama's car pulls over infront of us. I manage to stand up, although I'm still wobbly in walking. I got inside the front passenger seat, while the four sit beside each other in the back. The time is around 8 pm when we left the hospital grounds. Monika and Sayori sat between Natsuki and Yuri. We just entered the highway when the two began to bicker about manga.

" For the last time Natsuki, pictures in books does not count as literature!" Yuri exclaims with an annoyed tone.

" Well, at least manga is easier to read than those long and boring books of yours! The words in them are too flowery and deep, it makes it hard for me to understand it." Natsuki huffs as she turns her head to look outside the window.

" That's the point! It shouldn't be easy to understand because it is up to the reader find the meaning of the book. Well, I shouldn't blame you, it's something your tiny-"

" ICE CREAM! ICE CREAM! Akami-sensei, let's get ice cream!" Sayori cuts Yuri off from starting a war inside the car by pointing at an ice cream shop. I look at Sayori and give her a discreet thumbs up. I turn around to ask Monika if she wants ice cream.

" Monika, what do you- oh." I see Monika sleeping quietly. Her head rested on the soft cushion of the back seat.

" It's been a long day, huh? Well it's best not to disturb the poor girl from her sleep." Akami-sama whisper to us as he pulls over in the parking lot.

The four gets out of the car to buy some ice cream while I watch over Monika. I move to the back to the back of the car to rest beside Monika. Her soft breathing and her warmth made me sleepy as well. But before I could slump my head forward to sleep, I feel a tap on my shoulder. Monika slightly opens her eyes and pats her lap.

" Lay your head here." She has a welcoming smile on her face. I gently lay my head on her lap. But as I drifted off to sleep, I notice that Monika is still wearing our school's uniform. Suddenly, she closes my eyes and giggles.

" No peeking~ We might get into trouble if anything happens." I chuckle before letting out a sigh.

" It's been a long day, huh?" I ask Monika as I gaze on her enchanting visage. A few strands of her hair tickle my face as she looks down on me.

" Yeah... it has been a long day. So you better get some sleep, your body is still in bad shape." Monika run her fingers trough my hair. I close my eyes and begin to sleep.

I woke up with Sayori gently poking me in the face. I look around and I see that we are already at my house. It seems that we have already dropped Yuri off at her house while I slept. We got off the car and the three girls aid me towards the door. We enter the empty and dark house, only our soft footsteps and our breathing could be heard. It seems my walk is still wobbly since my sense of balance is still not fully restored. I made my way upstairs so that I could finally get some sleep. I jump on my bed and let my mind wander off as I begin to drift away.

I open my eyes and I see that I'm inside an hospital room once again. I look at myself and I see that my hands are see transparent. I look around the room and the bed in the center caught the attention of my eyes. On it lay Natsuki's dad, who is currently asleep. An IV bag is attached to him along with an oxygen mask. He doesn't seem to be in critical condition, which is kinda relieving. Suddenly, a bunch of code materialized beside him, and it took the form of a human. Then, from those lines of code and numerical values, Akami-sama emerged.

" Poor soul, for a long time, you will be punished for your transgressions. The prisons of this country is not forgiving, but I wish you luck." Akami-sama took a sit at the foot of his bed.

" It's saddening for me, but it must be done. If you were not an abusive father, Natsuki would have never joined the Literature Club. Now, let me help you get back on the right path." Akami-sama pulls out the command console and begins to change some files and attributes.

" _...violence.level=1, remorse=10, symphaty=10,_ and lastly, _guilt=10_. There, it may take a while for the changes to take place, but it will. Now, you better wake up Yoku." The god smiles at my direction. Before I could say anything, I was torn away from my dreams and I woke up to the sound of me falling on the floor and an alarm clock hitting my head shortly after.

Monika looks at me in shock. Surprisingly, my sides didn't hurt as much as I thought they would. I let out a pained laugh as I stand up, shaking this damn alarm clock! We laugh together as we went downstairs, and it seems my sense of balance is back! We head downstairs so that I could make breakfast, but I saw the notebook given to us by Akami-sama on the table. We rarely use it since the intervals to get information has gotten pretty long, but we decide to read some of the logs. The first one we see is that of Yuri's, which seems to have taken place last night.

 **Time: 9:37pm Location:** **Yuri's bedroom**

 _Yuri grabs her favorite knife on top of a shelf. The image of Yoku in pain is still fresh in her memories. She unfolds one of her sleeves and reveals the countless scars and wounds etched into her fair skin. The thought of a new one excites her. She begins to cut. Pain and ecstasy rings throughout her body. She is in bliss at the feeling of a fresh wound. She lies in bed and stops cutting. Her eyes catch a glimpse of Yoku's pen. She smiles._

I close the notebook, I fear what my eyes would see if I continue. It seems Yuri is getting worse. I look at Monika, who is also worried.

" We need to act quickly." Those are the only words that escapes my mouth.

" Yeah... but I don't think we'll be able to save her in just a matter of days." Monika sighs as she takes a sit and summons two cups of coffee in front of her.

" Uh-huh, it would be a really hard case for sure, since Akami-sama won't be able to help us anymore after Sunday." I respond to Monika, who just shrugs it off.

" Well, let's just eat breakfast for now, we'll think about that later, okay?" Monika smiles and reaches for my hand. I smile back and I look at the stove.

" Yeah... breakfast.That would be wonderful right now." I say before I stand up and walk towards the refrigerator.

Pancakes sound nice. Maybe I'll go make some.


	18. Thursday

I finish making the pancakes for the two of us. It is fluffy and light, just like how I pictured it in my mind. I set it on the table, and took a sit beside Monika. We were about to dig in to our meal when the door flew open. Akami-sama enters the room cheerfully, followed by two sleepy pink haired girls. I smile at this happy scene before me, this house finally isn't empty anymore. I stand up and heat up the pan so I could make more pancakes.

" Yoku~ Can I have your pancakes? I'm really hungry." Before I could answer Sayori, she begins to eat the pancakes on my plate.

" Geez, how do you not get fat after eating so much?" I ask her as I flip a pancake.

" I don't know. I just eat and eat and I get more energy to get trough the day." She says before taking in a huge chunk of pancakes.

" Let her eat as much as she wants, Yoku. Sayori _is_ a growing child!" Monika exclaims as she pats Sayori on her head.

" Anyway, hurry up with the pancakes! I'm hungry." Natsuki barking orders at me, it seems she is getting better.

" Fine, fine, two plates of pancakes coming up!" I place the two plates on the table. One for Natsuki, one for me since Sayori already finished eating mine.

" What about me? Don't I get one?" The god looks at everyone. He is the only one without a plate or a cup of coffee.

" Go make your own." I coldly say to the god.

" Sheesh, fine. Harsh words." The god laughs as he stood up and begins to cook. We spent the next few minutes talking about the

I look at the time, it is around 6:30 am. School starts in an hour and a half, what a pain. I stand up and tell everyone I have to get ready for school. I left the table and head towards my room. I open my closet and pull out my uniform. A white polo, a brown sweater and the grey blazer that completed the top of the uniform. I took out the blue slacks and together, I place the entire uniform on my bed. I grab a fresh towel and I ready the hot water for my shower.

I lock the door to my house and proceed to walk over to Sayori's place. Natsuki opens the door and looks at me. She gently pushes me aside and cocks her head backward as she walks proudly. That proud and mean attitude of hers, how I missed it. Though, even if she puts up a front like this, I could sometimes see her glances towards me and the sweet smile that follows after before she pouts again. Sayori finally shows up, her bright and cheerful smile and energetic walk brings a smile to my face. We begin to walk together to school, talking about what we are going to do today since we don't have any events scheduled for today. Sayori wants to see the planetarium that the Astronomy Club, Robotics Club, and the Computer and Technological Research Club put together. She said it is one of the most extravagant and amazing exhibits in the school.

" Oh... so you like stars, Sayori?" I ask her with a curious tone. She is quick to reply.

" Yup! I like how they twinkle and shine against the black background of the night sky." She has a smile on her face that tells me she is talking about something she really loves.

" Wow, I never thought you would like stuff other than food and Yoku." Natsuki grins as she tease Sayori. Sayori gets flustered at this words.

" W-Wha?! O-Of course I like other things! A-And don't go accusing me o-of liking Y-Yoku when you yourself likes him!" As Sayori blurts out those words, a streak of red appears across Natsuki's face. Both of their faces have turned as red as a tomato. Natsuki became defensive.

" W-Who in their right mind w-w-would like _this_ i-idiot?! I... I don't l-l-like him like that! W-Whatever! L-let's j-just talk about the other clubs, okay?!" Natsuki huffa before puffing out her cheeks and turning her head away from us. Her agitated walk and how she kept her arms stiff at her sides made me and Sayori laugh. Typical tsundere, always putting up such a tough and harsh exterior.

" What's so funny?!" Natsuki asked with an an annoyed voice.

" I hope you never change, Natsuki." We laugh as the three of us finally reach the school gates.

The three of us head towards the club room. Sayori bursts in before us and exclaims loudly that we are here. I look inside the room to see four people inside. Amy and Yosuke in one corner, reading some sort of manuscript. Yuri in an excluded corner, away from other people reading some book and Monika at the back brewing some coffee. The room

has the scent of cinnamon lingering in the air due to the diffuser being on. The curtains are parted widely so that a lot of natural light enters the room. I place my stuff near the front of the room and head over to where Monika is brewing coffee. She notices me and smiles warmly at my approach. But before we could start a conversation, we heard Natsuki's annoyed groan.

" Monika! Did you put my manga collection on the top shelf again?!" She runs beside us with a pout on her face.

" Oh, sorry Natsuki! I sorta got carried away when I was cleaning, ehehe~" Monika chuckles as she rubs the back of her head.

" Geez, sometimes I think you're really doing this on purpose! Anyway, now that I live alone now, I guess I should be taking this home then." But before we could even get back to what we were doing, the back dokr flew open and a god with a cheerful smile on his face enters.

" Speaking of which! Natsuki, I need you to pack up your stuff in your old house. You're moving in with Sayori." We all look at him in a confused and surprised manner.

" I've managed to finally finish up the paperwork for your adoption! And the court finally agreed to give what remains of his assets to you as an inheritance!" Everyone looks at the god with shocked eyes, especially Natsuki.

" W-What?!" She drops the box of manga on the floor. Her hands are shaking at the sudden realization that this god is now her father.

" Ahaha~ Sorry it's a bit too sudden, I was just too excited when I received the phone call from my lawyer just a while ago. Now..." The god kneels down and opens his arm in a warm and inviting manner.

" Give Papa a hu-" I hit the god with a rolled up magazine on the head.

" Don't go making a scene in the school! Dumb idiot!" I scold him harshly. Thankfully, there weren't any people in the hallway to hear this news or see a student hit a teacher.

" You're so mean~ I just wanted to show my new daughter some affection. Ehehe~" The god laughed nervously as he stands up. Every pair of eyes in the room is looking at him.

" W-Wait... Natsuki is going to be my room mate?!" Sayori stands up, the wide smile and the bright glimmer in her eyes says she is really excited by this.

" If it is alright with you... Cause I won't be around after Sunday, for a **really** long time." He places an emphasis on the word 'really'. Everyone gives him a strange look except for Monika and I.

" Oh? What is the matter, Sir Akami? Do you have some important businesses elsewhere?" Yuri closes her book and asks the god with a look that implies she is pressing him for answers.

" I...Uhhhh... I'm... having a midlife crisis! Yes! I want to travel the world to sate my hunger for adventure!" He replies confidently but with a slight shaking in his voice. I let out a sigh while everyone just gives him a confused and pitiful look.

" Anyway, let's not dwell on that! Let's go visit the maid cafe! They invited me to taste their new dish!" We all look at each other before letting out a sigh.

" Fine. Let's get going." I groan as I rub the back of my neck. Damn god, his perverse behavior towards the students is getting out of hand.

" But what about this coffee I brewed?" Monika tugs on my sleeve as she asks.

" Let's just heat it up later. We're going to a cafe anyway." She nods and puts away the thermos filled with coffee. Everyone gets up and we all follow the god's lead towards the Cooking Club.

As we walk towards the cafe, Akami-sama kept talking with Natsuki as we walk. I could overhear the god telling Natsuki about the places he wants to take her to on Saturday. Natsuki's eyes glimmer at this, but she refuses to show her excitement at this. Sayori and Yuri kept talking about what kind of books would suit Sayori's taste. Yuri recommended that Sayori should start reading about the fantasy genre. Yuri starts listing down the different books Sayori could read, causing the poor girl's brain to be overloaded with this information. The two behind us kept talking about the plot of some story I haven't heard about. We reach the cafe and Akami-sama was greeted and hugged by at least 5 different girls.

" Akami-sama came! Hurray! We're gonna serve our favorite Master the best food he ever tasted!" Said one of the girls.

" Hmm, sounds good! I would be happy to try any food you give me. Anyway, table for 8 please." The girls smile and brought us to the large table near the window. The arrangements in the room has not change a bit since the last time we got here.

" Don't worry guys, this is on me! I'll pay for whatever you guys order, so order a lot!" The god said cheerfully.

" Okay then... I'll order this, and this, and that and that..." Sayori listed down so much sweets that just hearing it made my teeth hurt, but the god merely nods and listens, while the waitress is struggling to keep up with Sayori. Sayori finishes up listing down the numerous treats she wanted to enjoy.

" Is that all?" The god asks Sayori, whose only response is a nod.

" Very well, I'll get a latte and the new item on the menu that you promised me. How about you Yoku?" The god looks at me and smiles.

" Just coffee would fine." I said as I put down the menu.

" A banana crepe and a latte would be nice!" Monika exclaims.

" Hmmm, green tea would be nice..." Yuri softly said in a timid manner.

" A large parfait please!" Amy and Yosuke said in unison.

" A banana crepe sounds delicious right now." Natsuki said.

" That settles it! You got that down, miss?" The waitress nods and runs to the kitchen. We chat and talk about random stuff like oceans and space for the next few minutes. Suddenly, Amy asks for our attention.

" U-Uhm... d-do you guys know s-someone who could draw manga?" Natsuki, Sayori, Monika and Akami-sama points their gazes towards me. Amy's eyes lights up.

" Sure, but why?" I ask the red head. She gives Yosuke the manuscript she has been carrying around and he passes it to me.

" Hmmm, 'A Philophobiac's Love Story'? That seems like a good story. Wow... interesting, I didn't know you could write so well, Amy!" I exclaim as I flip trough the pages.

" Yeah... I'm a fan of love stories and fantasy novels, but I can't really write poetry." She sighs as I hand her back the manuscript. Yuri asks to read the manuscript, and Amy agrees.

" Anyway, would you like draw it?" Amy asks with a pleading tone.

" Sure! I'd love to draw such a story. But it may take a while since I have so much to do." The two smiles widely, joyful that I have accepted their offer.

" Really?! I'm so grateful to you. You have done so much for us." Amy says cheerfully.

" Don't mention it! I just like to help people in need, that's all. Besides, you're a part of the club now, and we help each other in the club." Everyone nods in agreement. I could finally see the Literature Club that was supposed to be if Monika haven't altered the game.

Soon, our food arrives at the table. Sayori is served a mountain of sweet treats. She ordered the largest parfait the cafe and the most delicious crepe. Along with it is an assortment of different kinds of biscuits and pastries. Immediately, she begins to eat the food infront of her. Well, at least she is enjoying the food and aslong as she finishes it, I don't think it's a bad thing. We chat as we ate our food. The sudden defensive outbursts of Natsuki, the stammering of Yuri due to Natsuki teasing her, the intellectual discussions of Monika that is followed by Sayori being confused and asking about the flowery words she used, this sight warms my heart. If at any point in time I messed up with Sayori or Natsuki, this scene before me would not be possible.

We finish up eating and drinking our coffee after some time. Akami-sama paid for the food we ate and we decide to go check on the other exhibits. We watch Akami-sama participate in the chess competition hosted by the Board Games Club. He is using the knowledge he has to destroy mere highschoolers and it is clear he is enjoying it. It only takes seconds for him to analyze and make a move against his opponents. But he forfeits when he reaches the semi finals, we could see the relieved faces of the different students.

When he finally found us in the, we look at the time and saw it was almost lunch. Akami-sama then tells us that we should go to the cafeteria since he prepared a bento for everyone. We sat down in the largest table we could find. Monika and I look at the group's reaction when the god pulled out a bunch of boxes from under the table. The bento box is a typical one with ornate floral designs that is wrapped in a violet silk cloth. The group is clearly baffled as to where he got this boxes from. This god keeps hiding his identity, but doing these things in public... At least be discreet about it!

" H-How did you do t-t-that?! Is it some sort of magic?!" Amy cries out in fear.

" He can't possibly have carried all that without us noticing. How did you do it?" Yuri asks the god with an inquisitive tone.

" Ufufu~ A magician never reveals their secrets. Now, just eat up and enjoy!" This

god really is hopeless. But I guess that is what makes him so lovable.

We open up the bento to reveal an assortment of bite sized foods like a few hotdogs cut into the shape of octopuses and crabs along with some cherry tomatoes, lettuce and slices of mango are separated from the assorted Japanese delicacies. The second layer is our main course, the aroma alone made my mouth water. It's fried pork cutlet with tonkatsu sauce on top of the slices. A few cups of fragrant rice and shredded cabbage with Japanese mayonnaise beside it. Monika received a vegetarian version of a tonkatsu made out of tofu substitute. The heat and steam emanating from it suggests that it has just been recently cooked.

" Itadakimasu!~" We shout in unison before digging into our lunch. The crisp vegetables and the soft texture of the pork compliments each other. The fruits gave balance to the strong umami and light saltiness of the cutlet by providing sweetness to the dish. I feel myself having a foodgasm due to the intensity of the meal.

" S-Such a strong flavor from the cutlet, yet the gentle acidity of the tomatoes entices you to keep on eating!" Yuri exclaims as she scoops another mouthful of food into her mouth.

" Akami-sama is on a whole different level compared to Yoku's cooking." Natsuki's muffled voice reaches us while she bit down on a slice of the tonkatsu.

" Eh, I don't really care. I can never beat someone like that in a cook off." I say before biting down on a tomato.

" Don't say that! You just need to keep practicing so that you may defeat him some day! Like the person in that anime we watched that one night... Believe in the Sayori that believes in you!" As she said that with a confident tone, Sayori pointed a thumb at her chest to emphasize her faith in me. I smile and raise my head to meet her confident gaze.

" Sure thing! I'll do my best to keep believing in you." I gave her a thumbs up and a smile. We laugh as we finally settle down, the attention of the people around us have turned to our noisy table.

We finish eating our lunch and we head towards the south wing of the campus. Sayori is really excited to see the planetarium. They were using a small auditorium that has really few windows in it. But as we neared the auditorium, we see a long line infront of us. Sayori is saddened by this. Her expression is full of disappointment and sadness as she looks at the line. She pauses for a moment, then turns to look at us.

" Sorry guys, I won't ask you to come if you the line bothers you. I'll just wait here, you guys go and do your own thing..." As Sayori sulks in the line, I feel a sting in my heart. But before I could say anything, Akami-sama dashes to the front of the line. Monika and I run after him.

" Okay, Ne- Oh! Akami-sensei! What a surprise! What brings you here?" One of the three guys in charge of managing the exhibit asks the god in a cheerful tone.

" Oh, I'm just wandering if I could cut myself and my friends in line." The god asks in a cheerful tone.

" Oh my, that's no good sir! As you can see, the line-" The god walks up to the boy and gives him a glare before placing his hand in one of the pockets in his trousers.

" Look, yes, I see the line behind me. Now, listen here, I'm going to ask again as a friend, could you let me and my friends here cut in line?" He says in a shushed tone as he pulls out a picture. I catch a glimpse of the picture, it is one of the hottest girls in the Anime Club, the vice president of the club to be precise. She is cosplaying as a cat girl in an Amazonian warrior attire. It is skimpy and showed a lot of her skin, coupled with her fierce stance and aggressive expression on the picture, it seems that she enjoyed cosplaying this character.

" I-Impossible! How did you get such a treasure?!" The boy tries to reach the picture, but the god merely pulls it away.

" I have my ways... friend. So, do we have a deal?" He places the picture in the pocket of the boy. The boy nods at the god.

" Oh! How could I forget! Akami-sensei made a reservation yesterday, sorry for the inconvenience, everyone!" The boy shouts at the line as he tucks in the picture and winks at Akami-sama. We hear the line groan and complain about this. Sayori and the others run towards the front and asks what happened.

" Oh, I forgot about the reservation I made yesterday. Now, let's get a look inside this planetarium, shall we?" The boy opens the door for us and we all enter the the room.

It was pitch black at first, but projectors lit up the room. At first, I thought it would be some normal planetarium exhibit, but the guide shows us the seats located in the center of the room. As we strap ourselves in, the chairs started to shake. Soon, the sounds of space filled our ears. Ar first, it is nothing but deafening silence except for the sounds of our breathing and amazement. Then, trough the combination of different projectors and special effects, the stars and other heavenly bodies seem to pop out and become 3D. By shining an assortment of lights trough the mist emitted by the fog machine, they recreated the different nebulae in our galaxy. The room got colder, then hotter then colder again as we pass the stars around us. We are all impressed at the planetarium's sophistication and how high tech it is. To have climate control, near perfect holograms, chairs that could move around and provide a realistic feel, putting this together must have been a herculean task. The stars move and rotate as their coronas emit solar flares around them while the different planets revolve around them. The final scene is that of the universe, it's space filled with the different stars and constellations. We could see the Andromeda galaxy along with other distant bodies. Then, the simulation finishes as the room lit up and the chairs finally stops moving. As we got out of the room, Sayori is overjoyed at the experience.

" Wow! I never thought the planetarium would be that amazing!" She hops around cheerfully.

" Yes, it is quite intriguing as to how three clubs manage to put together the funds for such an exhibit." Yuri says as she walks quietly beside me.

" Yeah, that was a hell of an experience!" Natsuki says out loud.

" Yup, it certainly is." The couple behind us said in a soft tone.

" How about you, Akami-sensei? Did you enjoy it?" Monika asks the god. The god has a smile on his face as he answered.

" Yup! It reminds me of the time when I used to make universes... models! Yes, I used to make models of the universe as a hobby." The god laughs nervously.The group shrugs it off as we head back towards the club room.

School is about to end for the day. We spend the rest of the day lounging around in the club room, doing our own things. As the bell rings, we pack up our stuff and say good bye to each other. What a satisfying day indeed, it's a nice change of pace after the week's drama. Monika, Sayori, Natsuki and I walk home together, talking about the events of today happily. We reach our houses when we notice Akami-sama standing in front of ny house with at least 3 boxes. He looks at us and waves.

" Thank goodness you guys are here. Help me bring my daughter's clothes inside her new home!" I stand perplexed at this. Does this god know nothing about human etiquette?! I look at Natsuki's face, who is glowing pink right now.

" D-Did you touch m-m-my underwear?!" She shouts at the god as he rushes towards the boxes.

" W-What?! No! It's not in my interest to do that. Besides, you might get angry if I touch them so I left them at your house. Anyway, are you mad that I went trough your clothes?" Natsuki gives the god a glare before opening the boxes. Suddenly, her expression changes to that of surprise.

" They've all been cleaned and washed. Not just that, they're all properly folded. H-How did you do it?" She asks the god in surprise.

" Hehe, a magician never reveals his secrets. Anyway, want me to go help you take the stuff you need in your house?" He extends his hand as a warm gesture. She nods and takes his arm.

" B-But... I should carry them myse-"

" Nonsense! What kind of a father am I if I let such a frail little girl like you carry those boxes!" Natsuki let's out a gasp of shock.

" I'm not frail or little! Sheesh!" She huffs at the god, who just chuckles at her.

" Anyway, the sun is setting. Should we go now?" The god asks Natsuki, who is clearly baffled by his kindness.

" S-Shouldn't you be the one telling me to get going?" She asks with a slight tremble in her voice.

" Why? It's your house and stuff, right? Besides, I'm not in a rush." He pats the girl on the head. Natsuki turns to us and smiles.

" W-Well, we'll be back in a few! Bye!" Natsuki gets inside the god's car eagerly. Before the god gets in however, he looks at me and smiles.

" Could you bring those boxes inside Sayori's house? Thanks a lot!" He got in quickly and sped away. I sigh before we giggle at each other.

" Natsuki finally has the father she deserves, huh?" Monika says out loud.

" Yup! I'm sure Akami-sensei is pretty happy right now." Sayori clasps her hands as she says this.

" Now, put her stuff inside, Yoku." Monika orders me before grabbing Sayori and running inside my house while laughing. Really, making me do all this work by myself. I look at the boxes I pick up and smile.

Yeah, I'm happy Natsuki finally has a decent father figure in her life. I sigh as I place the boxes inside Sayori's house. After I am done moving the boxes inside the house, I think about what kind of dinner we should have. Maybe we should eat some sweet and sour vegetarian meatballs tonight. The idea dances inside my mind as I made my way home.


	19. Goodnight

**Author's Note!**

 _The next three chapters would mostly revolve around Akami-sama and Natsuki, and I think we're gonna keep shifting our POV from Yoku to the two from time to time. I'm going to give Natsuki the experience of having the father she deserves! Anyway, let me know what kinds of activities you guys would like to see Natsuki and Akami-sama and the others should do together. Now on to the next chapter, enjoy!_

(Akami-sama POV)

I pull over infront of Natsuki's house. Man, this place is a mess. The yard is covered in weeds or dead grass, the porch is a mess and I could see faint cracking in the walls. We got out and we made our way inside. Ugh, the air reeks in alcohol and smoke left over from the time her father was still here. Natsuki opens the light and runs to her room while I inspect the house. An unnerving silence fills the air, it reminds me of that time I got lost in the multiverse. I walk around the living room to see if there is anything worth looking at in here. I walk around near the TV when something catches my eye. It is a photograph of her family with Natsuki, her dad and her mom in the same picture. I now see where she got her pink hair, it is from her mother. But before I could take a closer look, I hear Natsuki cough behind me. She brought a bag pack and a box with her.

" Here, you carry my manga... I'll carry my stuff." I nod and take the box from her hands. We head out of the house and got back in my car to go back to Sayori's house.

The drive back to Yoku's place is quiet, Natsuki refuses to start any conversation with me. It's strange really, I feel an odd familiarity about this situation. Deja Vu? I think that's what you call it. Suddenly, the scenery of a beach flashes trough my mind. It's probably my mind failing to interpret data. I shake my head and focus on the road. The road we are driving on is pretty empty, the only cars here are sitting in parking. Suddenly, Natsuki kicks the back of my seat lightly to grab my attention.

" Hey... Did you have... a wife or something? Like, did you even have a romantic relationship before?" I sense a curious tone from her. But before I could answer, a splitting headache occurred in my head. For a brief moment, I saw a classroom with the universe outside its windows. I fought trough it and pull over gently, as to not scare Natsuki.

" A-Are you okay?!" Natsuki springs up from her seat and gives me a concerned look.

" Y-Yeah... Just a headache, it's fine now." I smile and pat her slightly.

" Geez, if it was a sensitive topic you should've just told me." She slump back into her seat and let out a sigh. I begin to drive again before answering her.

" Ahaha, anyway, I don't think so. Maybe I had one... I don't really-" A sudden thought enters my head before I finish my sentence.

( I'll be waiting, my love.)

Those words, I heard them before, but where? After a brief moment, I snap back into reality and let out a laugh.

" No, I have one. It's just too bad I lost her." Natsuki stares at me. Her stare is full of pity for me.

" Oh, I'm... sorry." She falls back into silence.

" No! No! It's okay! I don't mind. Anyway, enough about me, how about you?" I ask her as we enter an intersection.

" Huh?!" She asks with a baffled tone.

" Do you have anyone you like? Perhas Yoku? He is a-" She covers her face with a pillow before letting out a muffled scream. She then raises her head and pouts.

" N-NO! W-What g-g-gave you that idea?!" She huffs at me.

" Well, everytime you are with him, your voice gets higher and you become uneasy around him. Your body language and your constant teasing is also your way of hinting at him." Her face turns into a shade of light red. Her body tenses up and she is now as quiet as a mouse.

" Is it... that obvious?" She asks timidly

" Hmmm, not really. But don't worry, I'll keep it a secret." I wink at herher before letting out a chuckle.

" Don't you dare tell Yoku anything about this! Okay?!" She points at me with an angry yet embarrassed look on her face.

" Yes, Yes... Anyway, do you want ice cream?" I ask as we neared an ice cream shop.

( Yoku's POV)

I finish making the sweet and sour meatballs, although I replaced the meatballs with a special vegetarian substitute I made myself. Monika and Sayori are sitting on the sofa, braiding each other's hair. Monika managed to neatly braid Sayori's hair, but Sayori only manages to tie knots into Monika's silky brown hair. Sayori apologizes to Monika, Monika merely laughs and undoes the knots. Suddenly, Natsuki enters the door while eating an ice cream cone.

" Awww~ Yoku! I want dessert before dinner too!" Sayori pleads to me with puppy dog eyes.

" Nope! Natsuki is just lucky that Akami-sensei has a sweet tooth. Now, let's eat dinner, I'm sure you are all hungry." Since I have already set the table, I just took a sit and wait for everyone to sit down.

As we eat our food, we begin to talk about tomorrow. Friday is gonna be a half-day due to the closing ceremony of the festival and to use the rest of the day cleaning up the booths and exhibits. Since we didn't really put up that much decorations in our club room, it would be an easy task for us to do. The meatballs are great, I managed to make it taste like meat. The texture the bread crumbs added really helped with that too.

" As expected of Yoku, he makes some great vegetarian food. Good job!" Akami-sama gives me a thumbs up before gulping down the last of his meatballs.

" Anyway, what did you use to make this all stick together?" Natsuki asks curiously before poking a meatball with a fork.

" Eggs and some transglutaminase I have lying around." As I chew my meatball, Sayori tilts her head sideways and looks at me with a confused stare.

" Trans... Transglutimayonnaise? I-Is that right? What is that?" We all giggle a bit at Sayori, who just shuts us out and begins poking the meatball.

" It's also called 'meat glue'! It is a sort of enzyme that helps bind proteins together but does not significantly impacts the taste of the food." Monika explains to Sayori, who lets out an 'Ahh!'.

" Where the hell did you even get that?!" Natsuki asks me before chewing on. a meatball.

" Oh, I have my sources." I glance at Monika discreetly. She smiles and gives me a thumbs up.

We finish eating our dinner after a while. I begin to wash the dishes as the four leaves to either take a warm bath or do some other stuff. I decide that after I wash the dishes, I should see if I could draw Amy's story in a manga format. As I rinse the soap and suds on the remaining plates, I overhear Akami-sama talking with Sayori.

" I-Is it okay if I stay over again at your house?" The god timidly asks the girl.

" Of course! We could have a sleep over again and stay up all night! Ahaha!" Sayori hops around excitedly, while the god laughs and pats her head.

" Hold it right there! You won't be allowed to stay up all night. I want you guys to sleep at a reasonable time, so I'll be coming over in a few to check on you guys." I shout from the kitchen.

" What? No fair!" Akami-sama groans in a disappointed manner.

" You're a grown up yet you act like a kid... geez. How would Natsuki grow if you keep making her stay up all night?" Before the god could react, Natsuki pipes in.

" What the hell?! I'm not small! Got that?!Let's just go! Hmph!" She shouts in an annoyed tone as she turns her head away from me and heads out the door. Geez,

( Natsuki's POV)

Sayori opens her house and we enter the silent and dark living room. Sayori opens the lights and we see the boxes from earlier arranged neatly in one corner. I turn to Sayori and sigh.

" You have a guest room infront of your bedroom, right?" She nods in response

" Would you mind if I move in there?" I ask in a slightly embarrassed tone.

" Not at all! We are basically roommates now! Ahaha~" It seems Sayori really likes this idea. Well, I'm also pleased that Sayori would be my new housemate.

" Well, you go take a bath as I take this boxes to your new room." Akami-sensei says in a gentle tone before lifting one of the boxes.

" You're not much of a father, more of an older brother. Hmm, yeah.. you're more of a caring older brother than a father figure, teehee~" I say before slightly nudging the teacher in the stomach.

" Really?! Oh man, I failed to look like a father. Welp, call me Onii-san fro-"

" Hell no! that sounds so wrong on so many levels!" I slightly shiver as the two begins to giggle at me.

" Ahaha, now, enough teasing. Go take a bath." He says in a more assertive tone. He tried showing it on his face, but it seems he really can't do it.

" I need to work on being more assertive." The teacher slumps his head forward, Sayori and I laugh.

" Nah, it doesn't really suit you, Akami-sensei! You're more of a gentle and soft character." Sayori says cheerfully as she pats the teacher in the back. I chuckle as I made my way upstairs to the bathroom.

I finish taking a warm bath and made my way to my room wrapped in a towel. I enter it and look around the room. The room has been cleaned and it's contents rearranged. It is now spacious and the scent of vanilla seems to linger in the air. The lights have been changed to that of a brighter one, and the sheets and curtains inside are clean and fresh. On my bed, I see my pajamas neatly folded and laid out. I begin to get dressed so that I could sleep early today. I was about to get in bed when I hear knocking on the door. I tell whoever it was to come in. The door creaks open to reveal Akami-sensei, carrying a small book and a glass of milk.

" H-Hey, I brought you a glass of warm milk and a bed time story... want me to read it to you?" He says timidly as he enters the room. I laugh at him in disbelief, yet his smile never changes.

" I'm not a little girl, for pete's sake! I'm 16!" I stop laughing as he set the glass of milk down on the night stand. The look in his eyes is that of disappointment.

" Oh, right... I'm sorry. I'll just let myself out then." He said with a sad voice. But before he can turn around to leave, I grab him by the sleeve of his right arm. He looks at me in surprise.

" I don't remember saying no... B-But this is only b-because you guilt trip me, okay?! Besides, it's been a _really_ long time since someone read me a bed time story." I say to him in an embarrassed voice. A smile spreads across his face and I scoot over so he can lay beside me.

" Don't worry, this story won't dissapoint you." He says as he opens the book and I try to snuggle beside him. It's weird, he has some sort of gentle and soothing aura around him.

 _The Bird that Crossed the Sea_ _Once upon a time, in a far away land, lives a little red bird. The bird knew nothing about friendship, yet he wanted to learn more about it. In his loneliness, he has forgotten what it meant, yet he knew it is important. In solitude, he toils for the answer he seeks within his small nest._

 _One day, a beautiful white crane perched on the branch his nest rests. Awed by such a creature, he approach the resting crane._ _'_

 _Ma'am! May I ask? What business do you have here?' The bird asks._

 _' I'm merely resting so that I can continue my journey.' The crane replies._

 _' And why do you journey? Is it important? Urgent business?' The bird asks once more._

 _' Ahaha, no little bird. You see, I must make a journey to the other side of that sea. On the far end of its shores lays the secrets of friendship and how to acquire it.' The crane said as she pointed towards the horizon._

 _' Really?! Then take me with you!' The bird eagerly pleads, but the crane shakes her head._

 _' Sorry, I'm afraid I must travel alone. Now, I bid you farewell! For only 7 days remain until the secret of friendship hides itself once more.' The crane said before she flaps her wings and flies toward the horizon._

 _The bird, eager to learn about how to make friends, takes off and follows in pursuit. On the way, he finds a turtle on its back on the shore. He flies down to see if he could help it._ _'_

 _Oh! Little bird! Help me get back to the water, the birds and heat will soon kill me!' The turtle said._ _The bird, saying nothing, used a piece of driftwood and a stone as a lever and helped the turtle get off its back. It was hard, and he spent the whole day helping the turtle until he finally manages to bring him back to the water. The turtle said his thanks, but the bird flew off quickly, for he must make up for the time he lost._ _He flew and flew until night passed and morning came._

 _As he flew, he saw a crying baby dolphin swimming alone. He flies down to see what can he do to help the poor child._

 _' Mister Bird! Can you help me? I lost my pod a few hours ago and I can't find them!' The dolphin pleads. The bird, saying nothing, flew around the dolphin and the nearby waters. It took the whole day, but he found the dolphin's pod and lead them back to the child. They were about to say show their gratitude when the bird flew off quickly. He once again lost another day._

 _As he flew, he sees a shark in a net. It is flailing around, having difficulty in breathing. The bird did not hesitate and flew down to help the beast._ _'_

 _Bird! Help me! The net would strangle me if we don't get it off. You take the side near my tail while I bite off the ones around my head.' The shark said. The bird said nothing and begins to peck at the lines. From noon until sunset they untangled and cut the net until the shark is freed. Before the shark could express his gratitude, the bird flew off once again._

 _As morning came, the bird grew tired yet there is no place to perch on. Suddenly, a voice from under him called to him. It was the turtle. He told the little bird to perch on his back while he swam. The bird agreed and perches on his back. Surprisingly, the speed of the turtle is enough to make up for the day he lost when he helped him. When he got his strength to fly again, he thanked the turtle and flew once again._

 _The next day, he once again grew tired. But as he slowly descended to the surface of the sea, a great fin appeared under him. It is the shark he helped. He saw the faltering bird and offered him a ride on his fin. The bird agreed and perched himself on the shark's fin. The bird see that the shark swam fast enough to make up for the day he lost when helping him. But as the next day arrived, the shark insisted for the bird to rest._

 _The next day arrives and only then did the bird said goodbye to the shark. But as he flew, he felt his stomach grumble._ _Suddenly, a school of anchovies big enough for him to eat surfaced under him. The school is being grouped and clustered together by a pod of dolphins led by the small dolphin he helped earlier. He said his thanks before taking a few anchovies and eating it. It was enough to fill his stomach and he soon said good bye._

 _After a few more hours, he reach the other side of the sea and he perches on a branch. Beside him is the crane he saw a week ago. The crane smiled and asks the bird._

 _' Did you find the secret to friendship?' The bird nods and smiles._ _'_

 _And what is it?' The crane asks._

 _' The secret to friendship is that friends will always repay their debts. And by helping strangers, you could actually be making a new friend.' The bird answered._

 _After that, the bird flew and flew, helping all those in need and living a happy and fulfilled life. The End!_

I finish reading the book. Around halfway trough, this damn teacher of mine fell asleep reading this to me. But still, it was a nice feeling. To have someone read me a bed time story and sleep beside me is an experience I really missed. I look at the sleeping Akami-sensei and smile. I brush some if his hair away from his head and kiss his forehead.

" Goodnight, Papa~" I whisper softly before tucking myself in the blankets.

( Yoku's POV)

Sayori and I open the door slightly to look at the god and Natsuki. We see Natsuki sleeping beside the god with one of her arms wrapped around him while on of the god's arm wraps around Natsuki's shoulder.

" We should let those two sleep in peace." I whisper to Sayori as I close the door slightly.

" Yup! We should not disturb the sleeping father and daughter. Ehehe~" I hear Sayori's phone snap a picture before she fully closes the door. Well, I guess it would be fun to see her reaction tomorrow. For now, I guess I should go to bed.


	20. Friday

(Yoku's POV)

I woke up due to the loud ring of my alarm clock. I look at my right to see Monika's arms wrapped around my arm. I smile and kiss her forehead before standing up. But as soon as I pull away, Monika pulls me back to her side. She gives me a tight and warm hug as she snuggles her head on my chest. She looks up to face me and her green gaze meets with mine and entrances me with its beauty.

" We still have some time... Just... stay here with me.'' Monika said sleepily yet longingly. I cup her right cheek and gently caress it.

" Sure, dear." I nuzzle my nose against hers before gently kissing her on the lips.

" Mmh... pwah! You taste sweet~" I muse to Monika after I pull away.

" I could say the same about you, Ehehe. Hmmm... You think that god is not watching us right now?" She has a naughty look in her eyes as she moves her eyebrows up and down with a suggestive smile.

" Nah... I don't think so. Sooo, does tha-" I couldn't react as Monika plunges her lips unto mine. We close our eyes and begin to make out on my bed.

She took the lead this time and got on top of me. She cups my cheek with her right hand while her left hand wraps around the side of my waist. Her tounge is assertive, exploring every nook and cranny of my mouth and twisting with my tounge from time to time. We pull away, a thread of saliva connecting our lips as we panted heavily. Beads of sweat forms on our faces due to the heat from our intimacy. Lust and desire, that's the only thing running on my mind now and there is no stopping it. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and presses her body closer to mine. Once again, we continue to kiss passionately. This time, her movements are more bold and fierce. She is more forceful this time with her tounge. Her hands became more adventurous as they travel from my shoulders to different parts of my body. Her fingers seem to cut my skin due to their coldness as they made their way down my chest and to my lower abdomen.

Her brown hair is in the way so I brush some aside before I maneuver my hand towards her weak spots. She let out a muffled moan as I grope her rear carefully yet firmly. Soon, my free hand cups one of her plump breasts, suddenly, she collapses on top of me, her knees faltering and her body shaking. She pulls away from the kiss and lays her chin on my shoulder.

" M-My weak spots... D-Damn you~ Playing dirty, huh?" She says with a trembling voice. She looks me straight in the eyes and I see a gaze filled with confidence. She sits up on top of me and repositions herself.

She straddles my leg and and I could feel that it's warm and wet down there. She cocks her head back before licking her lips like she just saw a fine meal before her. She holds my hand that is still holding her chest and directs it toward her hard nipple. Her left hand held my free hand and our fingers intertwines together. God, I'm so hard right now! We lean forward so that we may be able to share a kiss. She made me her prey as she took the lead once again. As we French kissed each other, she continues to straddle my leg, slowly making her way upward. I let go of her soft and fluffy chest and held the back of her head so that I could pull her closer into a deeper kiss. The sound of us making out fills the room as our kiss becomes more intense. Soon, our arms are wrapped around each other and my groin is poking hers. I grab the underside of her thigh to pull it up a little bit and caress it. Soon, we pull away and we begin to breathe heavily due to our long kiss.

" H-Hey, do you want do it? You know... 'that'." She says with an embarrassed yet alluring voice.

" Do you want to?" I ask her, her eyes dart to the side as she thinks about it.

" I'd like that, very much." She smile as she lay down on her back and slightly parts her legs.

" But use protection! I don't want to have kids in such a young age, you know?~" She tease as become flustered.

" I... I think I have Akami-sama's condoms. Oh, here they are! Let me ju-" I was interrupted with a loud knocking on our front door. I look at the time and I see that we have spent the last 10 minutes making out. Monika gets off me and pulls out her command console.

" Hold on. Let me just get rid of the 'evidence'. *wink* Ehehe~" She giggles as she begins to type some codes. Suddenly our damp clothes and sweaty bodies glow a dim yet warm light. After a brief moment, our clothes are now dry and any signs of sweat or saliva disappeared.

" Woah, how did you do that?!" I look at my body. I'm thoroughly impressed at such a convenient ability.

" Oh, I just restored the state of our bodies to that of a relaxed state." I pet her head as a sign of gratitude before we head downstairs.

I hold her hand as we made our way downstairs. I gave her a kiss on the cheek before letting go of her hand. I open the door with a smile on my face, only to be met with a pillow to said face. I look around to see who look at the person who threw the pink pillow at me. I see Natsuki pouting at me with her hands at the side of her waist. Behind her is Sayori, who has an apologetic expression and smile on her face and a god with an amused grin on his face.

" Delete that picture!" She shouted at me before pointing a finger at Sayori.

" She told me that you have a copy of it! Delete it now!" Natsuki said in an irritated voice. Sayori rubs the back of her head and mouths me an 'I'm sorry'.

" Fine, though you look cute in it. Anyway, here." I grab my phone from my pocket and I went trough the phone's gallery. She anxiously looks at the screen as I delete the picture Sayori shared with me last night.

" Happy now?" I ask her.

" Hmph! Outta' my way." She gently shoves me aside before entering my house while Akami-sama laughed quietly beside her.

" Sorry, I kinda teased her about it." She laughs nervously as I pat her on the shoulder.

" Nah, it's ok... Monika has it on her phone. Hehehe." We smile mischievously at the two.

We enter the house to see Natsuki and Akami-sama eating in the dining room. Our breakfast consists of coffee, French toasts and scrambled eggs that was copy pasted by Monika just a few minutes ago. I plop down beside Monika and begin to dig in to my meal. Yup, exactly how I make it, the eggs are creamy and fluffy, the toasts are crisp to the bite and the coffee is creamy and not too dark.

" Wow! Yoku must be teaching her so well to make something this good!" Sayori blurts out with a toast in her mouth.

" Ehehe, not really! I just watch him cook everyday and I picked up some skills." Monika says with a confident tone.

" Ohhhh? Do I hear somebody taking my spot as the chef in our club?" Natsuki looks at Monika with a smug look on her face.

" Nah! I just plan on learning the tools to win Yoku. After all, the way to man's heart is trough his stomach." Monika then clings to my arm and smiles warmly.

" Okay, eww. We're not on a date, we're sitting on a table having breakfast so stop that doing that lovey-dovey stuff. It's gross." Natsuki huffs out before eating a spoonful of eggs.

" Well you seem to be in a good mood. Did you get a good night's sleep, Natsuki?" Natsuki's face turns into a bright shade of pink.

" Let's just eat breakfast, okay?!" The tsundere huffs at us. We laugh and we once again chat about things like we always do every morning.

Everyone went home after I finish cleaning the dishes. Two more hours until school starts. I stretch my arms as I made my way to the bathroom. Since today is a half day, I'd be home at around 2 in the afternoon. Maybe I should take Monika on a date today? Yeah, I'll do some grocery shopping as well later with her. I step into my shower and begin to wash myself. I shampoo my raven black hair and scrub my white skin with soap. For a person who likes video games and staying inside the house all day, my body is pretty fit. I stand still for a while, taking in the feel of the warm water cascading down my back. I shake my head and I decide to start quickening my pace.

I got out of that delightful shower and got into my room. I grab my clothes that I've readied last night and start putting them on in a hurry. After I finish putting on my blazer I dash outside and hurry towards Sayori's house. I knock on the door and stand back. I hear a rumble inside before the door flew open, nearly hitting me on my face. Suddenly, the two girls run behind me and used me as some sort of shield.

" YOKU!!! SAVE US!" The two cried out in unison as the clench the side of my blazer. Suddenly, Akami-sama stumbles outside the door wrangling some sort of creature.

" Y-Yoku! Help me get this-"

" NYEAAOOW!"

The creature cried out before unleashing a flurry of scratches on the god's face. I hurry over to help the god by grabbing the thing by the scruff of its neck. I take a good look at the creature's blue and green eyes. It's black due to dirt from some sort of smoke and dust, but it's fur seems to be clean from disease and parasites. It hisses at me aggressively and bares its fangs and claws.

" A... kitten? How could such a little creature be this fierce? Wait..." I glance at Natsuki, then back at the kitten.

" Good work! Now, let me just get this dirt or whatever blocking my eyes." I take a glance over at the god, before covering the faces of the girls with my body. I can't let them see something as gory as this!

" WHAT THE HELL?! YOUR EYES! THEY'VE BEEN GOUG-" I stop as the god's face glow with unnatural light and the scratches and his eye sockets got covered in codes. After a while, his face and body is now fine.

" That cat got stuck inside one of the ventilation shafts so I pulled it out. Now, how are you doing lil bud-*Chomp" The cat bit the god's hand as he tried to pet it.

" You know what, I'll follow you guys later. I'll just take this kitten to the vet." He handles the kitten gently as he waves us goodbye.

I take the girls' hands and I begin to walk them to school. The girls are shaken by what just happened, but they're doing fine. We chat about what we should do later, when suddenly Sayori perks up and places her fist on the palm of her hand.

" NyanNyan. Let's call it NyanNyan." She has a serious look on her face.

" What?" Natsuki tilts her head sideward and looks at Sayori with a confused look.

" The kitten, let's call it NyanNyan!" Sayori says with a smile on her face.

" Hmm, sounds nice to me." I say as I look down the street. The clock tower of the school now visible.

" Yeah, it sounds cute... wait, are we going to keep it?!" Natsuki asks with a surprised tone.

" Maybe." I say as I begin to quicken the pace.

" Last one to the club room is a rotten egg! Ahaha~" I begin to run with the two following in hot pursuit while saying things like 'Wait up!'.

I burst trough the door and panting heavily and lightly sweating. Sayori and Natsuki came in at a tie and begin to wheeze. I gently threw a bottle of water at Natsuki, who manages to catch it and gulp it down and a ack of cookies at Sayori, who immediately begins to eat it. Yuri brings us some face towels to help us dry off our sweat. Wait, where did she get this towels? Oh right, I brought some a few days ago in case I plan to do strenuous activities before going here.

" Thanks, Yuri." I say to Yuri with a smile as I wipe the sweat of my face.

" N-No problem... Here, let me put it away." I finish drying my face and we hand Yuri our towels.

 _" Yoku's scent... aahhh."_

Hmm? Yuri? You said something?" I ask Yuri just as I was about to head out the door.

" Huh? Oh, i-it's n-nothing!" She smiles nervously as she puts away the towels in a bag inside the closet.

" Okay. Anyway, let's start cleaning up so that we can go home early." I say before I head outside to buy some drinks for everyone. I bump into Monika, causing us to step back from the soft impact.

" Oops! Sorry! I wasn't looking at where I am going! Ehehe~" Monika rubs the back of her head and fixes my collar.

" I'm also sorry, ehehe. Look, I got your ribbon all messed up." I fix the red ribbon on her collar and dust of her shoulders.

" Guess we're even now, huh? Ahaha~" She laughs as she pats my shoulder.

" Hehe, want me to buy you anything?" I ask her as I walk towards the vending machine.

" Iced coffee please. The creamy one not the black one." She waves and enters the class room.

Sigh~ I guess the past few days have been pretty calm latel-

" What the hell?! There is blood and bandages here! Did someone got hurt?" I over hear a bunch of girls in the comfort room as I pass trough.

" It's probably that freak again. God, what an edgy bitch. It probably turns her on when she cuts herself." The girls got out of the comfort room in a group and begins to murmur among themselves.

" ... And what a nerd too! Always carrying a book with her to act smart. Come on, with a body like that, she probably is just a simple sl-" I stomp my foot down as I walk by to indicate my presence and to tell them I could hear them. They immediately become quiet and their pace quickens.

I sigh as I think about Yuri and how to help her. I tap my foot as I ponder about the intricacies of the problem before me. Suddenly, a female teacher walks up beside me to buy something from the vending machine. The brunette beside me seems to be in her mid 20's and her face doesn't have that much makeup on. I look at her intently, this girl beside me is my Math teacher. She notices me and lets out aa grin.

" Oh? Yoku, I did not know your type is that of someone with a mature body like mine. Ufufu~" She tease as her tea fell to the slot. But looking at her, if she wasn't wearing a teacher's uniform, she is as tall as me and I think Sayori's chest is bigger than hers.

" Haha, very funny **Miss** Yuna." I say sarcastically while putting an emphasis on the word miss. It seems to irritate her.

" Hmph! I'm not single because I can't find anyone, I'm single because I want to be sing-"

" Yuna! What a pleasant surprise!" Akami-sama pats her lower back, causing her to jump up in surprise.

" Eep! Sir Akami! Y-You shouldn't sneak up on women like that! Y-You perv!" She scolds Akami-sama with an embarrassed tone and a red face.

" You know, you look so cute when you are embarrassed." Akami-sama smile as he gives her some chocolates. The teacher looks at the treat and takes it.

" I'll forgive you... But only because you gave me chocolates! Hmph! What a handful! See you at the assembly later!" She waves goodbye as she storms off.

" Some god you are. Anyway, where is the kitten?" I ask the god as I take the drinks I bought.

" I left it at your house. Now, why don't I help you tidy hp the room?" He says before grabbing a can of coffee from a portal.

" Sure. I'd like that." We walk together towards the club room.

I glance at the god and smile. This god is more of a lost kid than some all-powerful god. I chuckle as I think about how mature I am compared to him.


	21. Peaceful Times

We enter the room to see the group gently taking down the banners and decorations we set up. I look around and see that only Amy and Yosuke are not around. They're probably doing someth-

" Sorry we're late! The SC president gave us an earful in the hallway." Yosuke and Amy enter the room with a nervous look on their faces.

" Huh? What did the Student Council President say to you guys?"

" Public displays of affection are prohibited in the hallways." Before the two could answer my question, a voice piped in from behind them.

The two step aside to reveal a girl with skin as white as snow. Long, light blue hair tied into twin tails that reached her waist. Her light blue eyes gave cold gaze towards the couple. Her tall, slender figure is mature and beautiful, with an aura of authority behind it.

" Oh, hi Sarah. How is the debate club going?" Monika asks the girl. She steps up and it their gazes locks with each other.

" Fine. Anyway, so this is what you've been up to. Such a waste of potential. Anyway, I'll be taking these two with me. They ran off just as I was about to take them with me to the detention hall." Sarah glance at the couple before looking at Monika once again.

" That won't be necessary. I'll reprimand them for their actions later." The god places a hand on the couple's shoulders and gave them a warm smile.

" Sir Akami, but... ugh, never mind. See you guys later." Sarah leaves and walks away. The two let out a sigh as the scary girl is no longer in view.

" Thanks Akami-sensei! You're a life saver!" Amy said with a relieved tone.

" Nah, it's nothing. Besides, it would be bad if you two got into trouble. Now go help and clean the room." He points inside the room and the brooms and mop in the corner.

The two immediately starts cleaning. I laugh as the two goes into a cleaning frenzy under the supervision of the god. As everyone cleans the room, I look at Monika, who is busy organizing the books on the shelves. I walk up to her and begin to help the brunette.

" So, I see that you still have some memories from before you had your epiphany. Care to explain?" She pause for a moment, before sighing.

" It seems that within my character file, my past has been coded so that when I look back to the time before my epiphany, it won't be empty and dark." She smiles as she puts away another book.

" But that isn't important. What's important is that you, Yoku, is here with me." She looks at me with her green eyes and smiles brightly.

" I don't really need those past memories if I can make more memories with you." She muse before holding my hand.

" Monika... I also want to spend my future with you." I say in a romantic manner. Before she could reply however, the school bells ring throughout the school campus.

" Oh, the assembly is about to begin. Okay everyone! Let's go to the main auditorium for the assembly." Monika lets go of my hand and proceeds to inspect the room.

" Hmm, it seems we don't really need to clean later. Good job guys!" Monika exclaims as we head out of the clubroom.

We made our way to the large building beside the main campus. It has a dome like appearance and large windows. Numerous students flood inside in small organized lines and groups. We then sang the school's anthem As all of the students settle down, the student council got up the stage to begin their announcements. Sarah took the microphone, and with a chirpy voice, begins to talk.

" First, l would like to thank everyone for participating in the school festival! Everyone did a great job with their exhibits and booths!" The people clap and cheer as she pauses for a moment.

After a moment, everyone stops to hear what she is about. She proceeds to announce which club has earned the most money.

" The club which earned the most money is... The Cooking Club! Let us call their president on stage to hear what she has to say." A small girl wearing a cat maid costume gets on stage and takes the mic from Sarah.

" Nyan~ I would like to thank everynyan that went to our cafe! Especially one of our most valued patrons. That person made up nearly 30% of our total earnings. Anyway, thank you for coming! Nyan~" I feel everyone stare at Akami-sensei, who is sitting beside me. The girk got off stage and Sarah once again took the mic.

She then proceeds to tell us about the revenue the school and the student council received from the school festival. We were all shocked at the amount they have gathered all in all. 51,000 dollars! Due to the people buying tickets to enter the school to buy and participate from the booths, they have gathered this much money. She then told us that they will be distributing the money to the clubs that need the funds the most and for extracurricular activities. I look at the time to see that it is around 11 o'clock. Suddenly, Akami-sama stands up and whispers to me.

" That's my cue." He pats me on the shoulder and makes his way to the stage.

" ... Now an announcement from the highschool faculty. For two weeks, Sir Akami Zenno has substituted for one of our sick teachers. But now, the teacher we have all come to know and love as Akami-sensei is now done substituting for her. Now, here he is to say his goodbyes." Sarah spoke with a sad voice as she hands Akami-sama the mic. I could hear a lot of people gasp in shock or begin to cry.

" Hehe, welp, this is it for me guys! Umm, hey Sarah! How do you say a formal goodbye? Bah, screw it! I'll miss you guys so much! Especially my homeroom class, you guys are fun to be with in the morning. I'll also miss the Cooking Cl-"

" Akami-sensei!!! Don't leave us!" Suddenly, multiple groups of students rush to the front of the stage, mostly from the Cooking Club, Anime Research Society and the Science, Robotics and Astronomy Club.

" Ahaha, sorry I wasn't able to throw a proper goodbye party! Anyway, you guys better get back to your seats before President Uptight behind me gets ang-"

" Okay, that's enough Akami-sensei! Let's hurry up so that we could finally conclude this assembly!" Sarah seems to be irritated at the god because she is clamping down on his shoulders really hard.

" Ouch! Hey! I'll get off the stage if that's what you want!" The god took the stairs beside the stage and made his way to his seat beside me.

After that, Sarah finally concludes the announcements. The people begin to disperse and we all head back to the club to the club to get our things. The time is around 12 and school has now been dismissed. As we all head outside the school gates, Akami-sama stops us in our tracks and smiles.

" Let's go to the mall!" The god smiles at his bright idea.

" Huh?! Wait! But... Never mind let's go." I grumble under my breath. I am supposed to go to the mall with Monika... alone. Damn it.

" Hoooh? Do you have plans later Yoku? A date perhaps? Teehee~" Amy tease as I begin to get flustered.

" Yup! Yoku here is actually planning on bringing me along to buy groceries." Monika sniles as she places her hand on my shoulder.

" Yoku is buying food! Hurray! I want curry and barbeque, and teriyaki and tonkatsu and more!" Sayori hops around in excitement.

" Hai! Hai! Let's get going so that I won't miss the good deals." We all laugh as we head to the mall.

After 15 minutes of traveling, we finally arrive at the mall. The god wanted us to go around one big group, but then Monika takes my hand and runs away. After that, we went around window shopping. We look around, searching for the chocolate store she wanted to try. After a while, we finally found it. The store's walls have a lot of containers that contain different kinds of chocolate. From the darkest and most bitter of chocolate to the sweetest of confectioneries. The store clerk is a young lady in her early thirties. She smiles and greets us warmly.

" Hello! Welcome to Sweet Treats! We make chocolates that describe the person you love or yourself. What would you like to buy?" She says with an inviting tone.

" I'd like to buy some chocolate for my girlfriend over here." I reply to her as I look around the store.

" For your girlfriend here? Oh my, what a bold young man to say such things. Now let's see... a bold yet gentle nature, strong yet average looking... I've got the perfect chocolate for you two!" The clerk then begins to pull out a box of chocolates.

" Here, have a taste ma'am." She offers Monika some chocolates. She took one and puts the small piece in her mouth. Her expression turns into that of amazement.

" Wow! It's so delicious! It has a mild bitter taste at first but is has a sweet aftertaste. It seems to melt in your mouth when you eat it. What a treat~" Monika exclaims as she savors the treat in her mouth.

" Now, how would you describe your girlfr-"

" Perfection." Without a second thought, I answer her. They look at me in shock, surprised at my answer.

" Umm, we need you to be more specific, sir. I have many definitions of perfection." Monika giggles a bit, and I manage to bounce back from my embarrassment.

" O-Oh, sorry. Uhm, let's see... Strong, amazing, carin-

" I've heard enough. Here, try this." The clerk gives me a box of chocolates. And I pop one into my mouth. I am amazed at the sweetness and creaminess of the piece of chocolate.

" Wow. Delicious. Anyway, how much is this?" I ask the clerk as I pop another piece of chocolate into my mouth. The taste this time is different, it's dark and has such a strong flavor. We bought two boxes each and we wait as the clerk calculates the price of the chocolates.

" Oh, about... 90 dollars." We gasp at the shock of such a price. I sigh as I pull out my wallet and I give her the money. She waves as we got out the door with a bunch of chocolates in our hands.

We made our way to the grocery store where I bought the stuff I needed. We bought as much vegetables and vegetarian food that we could and I also bought some meat for Sayori. All in all, I had to pay around 120 dollars for all of the food. I text the god that we should all meet in front of the book store. As we pass the different stores on the way to the book store, a beautiful emerald pendant caught my eye.

" Monika, could you-"

" If you're thinking of buying me that expensive piece of jewelry, no. Now no more distractions, we have frozen goods inside this bags." She said with a stern yet friendly voice.

After a while, we finally meet up with the others. Though nothing interesting happened today at the mall for Monika and I, everyone else seem to have had a blast. It seems Amy and Yosuke bought some clothes for each other, Sayori and Yuri bought books for the club and Natsuki and the god... are nowhere to be seen.

( Akami-sama POV)

" This is why I didn't want to come with you! Look at what you're making me wear!" Natsuki shouts out. I can't take her seriously while she is wearing the huge gakuran and hat that Jotaro Kujo wears in Stardust Crusaders.

" Relax, at least you manage to pull it off, look at me for pete's sake!" I say as I look at myself. I'm wearing an ahegao hoodie while holding a body pillow of Emilia.

" You do know that Rem is best girl, right?" Natsuki says before yawning.

" What?! No way! Emilia is best girl!" I say as I walk quickly. I ignore the stares the people gave me as I walk. She merely shakes her head in dismay.

" Good grief, what a great example as a father figure." I was about to say something sarcastic when I realize that she just said a JoJo reference.

I finally see the group in front of the bookstore. I wave at them and try to get their attention. But they don't seem to notice me.

( Yoku's POV)

What the hell is wrong with this god's head?! We avert our gaze from him and try to ignore him. The people around us murmur as he got near us.

" Hey, I've been trying to get your atten-

" W-We don't know you!" I say as I take our bags and head out.

" Fine! I'll take it off!" He shouts as we grab Natsuki and leaves him behind. But then the hoodie got stuck on his head and he is now having a hard time taking it off

" Wait, no~ Don't leave me!" We begin to run and laugh as the god behind us fumble around to get the hoodie off of his body. We decide to ditch him and relieve us of the pain of a public humiliation.

We took a detour and used the short cut trough the park. The flowers are in full bloom, the colorful flower beds around us and the blooming trees surrounding us made a nice scenery. The calm pond reflected the sun's warm, red glow as the ducks and swans swam on it. The leaves and petals of the flowers fell down slowly and made ripples on the ponds surface. The fresh air brought about a soothing and calming atmosphere. But this tranquil scene is short lived however...

" Heeeeey!~ Wait for me!" The god is now in the horizon and running swiftly towards us like a wolf running towards its prey.

We laugh once again as we start running towards the opposite direction. Such a peaceful time should always be enjoyed to the fullest. Besides, I have a bad feeling about the week that is about to unfold before me.


	22. Akami's Interview

Oof! Ahhh, I could finally- wait, who are you guys?! What the hell are you doing in my pocket dimension?! Can't you see I'm taking a break between chapte- huh? Interview? Hmmmm, sure! I'm up to it!

Akami-sama's interview

Q: Who in the hell are you?!

A: I'm Akami-sama, duh! Maybe... I don't know my memories are hazy.

Q: How old are you?

A: IT'S RUDE TO ASK SOMEONE ABOUT THEIR AGE!

Q: Why do you want to help Yoku?

A: He reminds me of someone. And he also wants to help someone, like me!

Q: Are there any other gods beside you?

A: Yup! They're all great people. I especially like DaMastah101 and finalsacre. Their worlds are far more interesting than mine.

Q: Do you have any sort of romantic feelings for Natsuki?

A: What the F- NO! I see her as a daughter and a close friend! What the hell man?! Besides, I personally ship Yoku and Natsuki, but the author would probably go nuts if he found out.

Q: What is up with this chapter?!

A: The author is a bit tired at writing two chapters in one day. He is just using me as an excuse that he has a third chapter. I think the next chapter would be uploaded in the early morning.

Q: Why is the fanfic now an M rated story?

A: Sex. Sex scene. Isn't it obvious?

Q: What worlds have you visited in your travels?

A: Oh, I've visited a lot of worlds! I saw a world where the Dokis got transported into a fantasy world and the other is DaMastah's world. I really like the latter. Tho, I've also traveled to places like the reality where the world is made of blocks and the world of some of the anime I've watched.

Q: Can you prevent your death?

A: Maybe... Look, I don't really know. My author is sorta messed up for killing a character like me.

Q: What is your gender?

A: ... Is it not obvious?

Q: What is the meaning of life, powerful god?

A: 42*

Q: Are you all-seeing?

A: No, but I look at the world log every few seconds. It basically tells me what is happening all over the world.

Q: How powerful are you?

A: The entire data for the universe, can be found in a single strand of my DNA. I use it as a source of vast knowledge. I also manipulate the very fabric of this simulation with ease.

Q: Who is more beautiful? Yuri or Monika?

A: No comment

Q: Favorite Anime?

A: Ummmm... Konosuba.

Q: Favorite color?

A: White

Q: Why did you went from being a guardian in the shadows to a main character?

A: Yoku seems to be having fun and I wanted to have fun too. Simple.

Q: Regarding the past few chapters, why did you ruin the tranquil scene in the park? And the bedroom scene?

A: First, they left me! Second, the fanfic is still not M rating.

Q: Do you like the Natsuki Arc?

A: Maybe. I'm waiting for the Yuri arc. The Natsuki arc has been a relatively peaceful arc because Yoku didn't really do much.

Q: Have any fun stories to tell?

A: Yes, I've helped bring the computer to life in some worlds.

Q: Any sad stories?

A: I once helped a homeless painter in the streets of Vienna find a new job. Sad to say, I ended up starting World War Two. On the bright side, if WW2 didn't happen, there would be no computers. Not really a bright side, tons of innocent people died.

Q: Do you like lolis?

A: No comment.

Q: Explain the engine that runs this simulation.

A: It's a mix of Ren'py and Phyton. And some elements from Java as well.

Q: Are traps gay?

A: Absolutely not! Wait, what?

Q: Are you sing-

Okay, that's enough! I'm sure you want to ask me more questions, but I'm tired now. Now, just put your questions in the review section and I'll answer them next time.

 _Ehehe, suckers. I'll be dead by the time I read it. Muahahah_ Anyway, thanks for feading everyone! See you tomorrow with and extra chapter.


	23. Calm

After horsing around the park for a while, we all decided to go home. Yuri, Amy and Yosuke went homd together since their houses are close to each other. We spent at least four hours in the mall. I could hear our stomachs grumble as we made our way home. My home is three minutes away from us now.

" Crap, how did we all forget to eat lunch?" I say as I rub my stomach. It's grumbling like Natsuki whenever she is losing an argument or being scolded.

" What?! You two didn't have lunch? Haha, that's what you get for running away and going on a date. Akami-sensei treated us to some fried noodles earlier." Monika and I just let out a sigh.

" Nah, that's alright! You know what, how about Natsuki and I cook for you guys this time?" Akami-sama says with a smile as he places his hand on Natsuki's head.

" Wah?! Hey! Get your hands off me! Anyway, sure, I'll cook for you guys." Natsuki says as she carries some of our grocery bags.

" Hehe, thank you so much." I say weakly.

" It's not like I'm doing this because I want to, okay?! Besides, I want to see who cooks the best in this club." She huffs before turning her head away from me.

" Oooh, Natsuki is about to battle a god!" Sayori squeaks out as she ate a biscuit.

" A g-god?! Who told you that?!" Akami-sama stammers out.

" Huh? You're great at cooking, right? The lunch you made for us yesterday is really delicious." Sayori says with a confused tone.

" Oh, right... Ehehe, sorry about that! Oh look! The house!" Akami-sama runs ahead of us, followed by Sayori and Natsuki.

" What a bunch, huh?" Monika says as she looks at the three, fumbling around trying to open the door.

" Yup... what a bunch indeed." I smile as we enter the house.

We immediately start placing everything we bought into the fridge or pantry. Saylri went home to shower, and Monika and I decide to do the same. She went home by teleporting herself to her house while I made my way upstairs. I take a look at the kitchen and see what looks like a knife fight about to erupt. This two better not mess up the place I hold dear while I take a cold shower.

( Akami-sama POV)

" Fool! I have the experience and skill equal to that of a god! You really think you could defeat me?" I laugh manically as I sharpen the knife.

" Heh, don't get so cocky, old man! I have the knowledge and tricks needed to defeat you." Natsuki says with a confident tone as she begins to prep her ingredients.

" Our main ingredients would be chicken!" I announce with a loud voice before placing down two whole chickens in front of us.

" The challenge starts... **NOW!** " I shout before slicing up the chicken into different cuts.

I'm going to make something I've enjoyed during my travels. It is a country somewhere in Southeast Asia, it is a simple yet amazing meal. They called it 'Afritada' and it is some sort of stew. After I finish cutting up the chicken, I grab some onions and garlic, red bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and carrots and begin to prep them. I mince the onions and garlic, chop up the bell peppers and tomatoes and cube the potatoes and carrots. Then, I begin to saute the onions and garlic along with the bell peppers. After a while, I slightly fry the chicken with the same pan, adding salt and pepper. I constantly stir it around to prevent burning or overcooking the chicken. After a while, I pour out tomato sauce in the pan along woth the carrot, tomatoes and potatoes. I then pour a cup of water to slightly dilute the tomato sauce. I cover the pan with a lid to let the chicken simmer in the sauce. Suddenly, I smell it, the scent of cumin and curry. I look over and I see that Natsuki is looking at me with a smug face.

" Hehehe~ You won't beat my curry with a dish like that. I'll be attacking the nose directly woth such a powerful dish! Ahaha!" Natsuki then stirs the curry around in her pan as she laughs. I use my power called 'Disect' to look at her curry.

Let's see... Chicken, tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes and carrots, garlic and onions, ginger, curry powder, cumin, tumeric, coconut milk, cinnamon, paprika, and lemon juice. What a pain, this may be a hard battle... then let me just cheat a bit here... Ehehehe. By rearranging some enzymes and proteins here and there, making a few new chemical bonds here, I could alter the taste of my dish. Now, the chicken would have a sort of melt in your mouth feel while releasing tons of umami, the sauce would have a slight tingling feel and a sweet yet slightly saltt aftertaste.

I laugh in triumph. Natsuki will not be able to defeat a dish that has been modified to be scientifically delicious! As we finish making our dish, everyone finally arrives and takes a sit in the dining table. I set the table and serve the rice. Natsuki has a smug look on her face as she sets down her curry that has been covered in tinfoil. I smile as I also set down my dish on the table. I went back tk the refrigerator and materialized some mapo tofu discreetly. I serve this to Monika, since she won't be able to eat our dishes since it has meat in it.

" I'm digging in!" Sayori shouts out before taking off the tinfoil cover on the curry. The room, no, the house exploded with a myriad of different fragrant aromas.

" M-My nose feels like it has been assaulted in some way." Monika says as she looks ar the delicious food in front of her. She only took a potato and carrot from the curry.

Everyone took a serving and we all took a bite at the same time. My taste buds dance as I chew the delightful meal. The chicken's umami works well with the curry, but the curry doesn't overwhelm the chicken's gentle umami due to the coconut milk. A slight zing could be felt along with a mildly sweet aftertaste.

" Wow! So delicious! I'm impressed!" Yoku exclaims as he savors the dish.

" Haha! Look at that, I've already won." She points at the three who seems to be enjoying the taste of her curry.

" Not so fast, they haven't tasted mine yet." I lift the cover of my pan and serve them each some of my afritada.

" Dig in." I look on as they drink water to wash out the flavor of Natsuki's curry.

Sure, my dish isn't really aromatic, bit I'm pretty sure I'd win when it comes to the over all taste...

I lost. I lost because it seems that the chicken has lost most of it's flavor even though it has a pretty nice texture to it and the sauce is delicious. Could it be, that some of the proteins I have removed is the source of the umami? Sigh~ Better luck next time I guess. I congratulate Natsuki with her victory, and as a result, I'd be cleaning the dishes. I smile as I look at Natsuki, I'm so proud I have such a talented daughter.

(Yoku's POV)

After a long dinner filled with laughter, Akami-sama left me alone to clean the dishes. Damn god, what a cheap trick, saying that he had something to do before taking off with Natsuki and Sayori. I give a quick glance at the dishes I have now finally finished cleaning. I sigh, the house is now dead quiet, almost. Monika is upstairs in my room playing with my computer. I went upstairs and brush my teeth. After I was done brushing, I enter the room quietly and I sneak towards Monika. Once she is in reach, I throw my arms around her and gave her a hug.

" Wha! Hey! I'm playing Neko-"

I cut her off by kissing her. It isn't a passionate French kiss, rather it is just a simple kiss on the lips. I pull away after a few moments and smile.

" Don't you want to continue?" I gesture towards the bed. She takes a gulp before nodding.

The moment just became a blur. As soon as she stands up, she leapt towards me. We made out passionately as we walk to my bed. Her hands clawed and legs wrap around me as I carry her. As we made out, we took of each other's garments in a quick fashion. I lay her down on my bed and pull away.

" Haah... Monika..." I pant as I look at her beautiful face. I caress it gently before I kiss her once more.

As we made out on my bed, my hands travel downward, soon they were playing with Monika's busty chest. Her hands clamp down on the sides of my body. I pull away and look downward.

" Yoku... Eat me..." She whisper seductively before giving a wink.

" T-Thank you for the meal." I say in a joking manner before going for her neck. I lick and kiss her neck, especially near the shoulder.

She lets out moan after moan as I made my way downward towards her chest. Using my right hand, I play with her right nipple while I suck on the left, giving it a soft nibble from time to time. It's so soft and bouncy that my face could be buried in it.

" Yoku! Mhm, Hnnnnngg! Geez... Ah! ... You're such... mMmm... A baby!" She was about to laugh but I gently bit her left nipple and pinch the right. Her body tenses up. My leg, which was between hers felt a spray of warm water.

" Ahhh... I... came..." She looks down at her soaked panties.

" Not fair... Hmph!" Before I could do anything, she pushes me to my side and gets on top of me.

" I'll be making you cum as well, so just stay still~" She muse as she slowly pull down my boxers. She was surprised by my erect penis.

" Oh... It's... big." She gently rubs my dick, which should be around 7 and a half inches when fully erect. She takes a feel of the rod, like she just got a manual car and is taking in the feel of the stick shift.

Suddenly, she leans for ward and gives the head a small lick, causing me to moan a little. Seeing this reaction, she begins to slowly lick from the shaft to the head. When she made her way to the head, she wraps it around her mouth and licks it slowly with her tounge. Then, she pulls in my throbbing member into her mouth and begins to move her head in an up and down manner. She could only swallow around a third of my entire penis. As she did this, she maintains her line of sight on my face, to see my reactions. The warmth and moistness of her mouth and the way it wraps around it, Arghh!! I want more! I place my hands on her head pull, thrusting ny dick into heher head. She let out a muffled cry and moan as I begin to move her head. After a while of such a rough play, I couldn't stop myself anymore and I pour out my load inside her throat. As she pulls away, she looks at me with an upset expression, before smiling once again. She then got up and leans toward my face, then going in for a kiss. But accepting that kiss was a wrong decision, as our lips parted, she pours the content of her mouth into mine, causing me to recoil and cough it out.

" WHAT THE HELL?!"

" THAT'S FOR SKULL FUCKING ME YOU MEANIE! I COULDN'T EVEN BREATHE WITH YOU JAMMING IT TO THE BACK OF MY THROAT!" She shouts at me while folding her arms. There was an awkward silence between us, that was broken by

us laughing together.

" But you know, that is kinda hot... In a dirty way..." She whispers as she lay beside me.

" I'm ready if you're ready." She says before looking down at her private parts.

I nod and got on top of her. Our breathing is now sporadic, heavy and hot. Her arms are wrapped around my body, pulling me closer to her body. I took a condom and quickly put it on me.

" I'm going in." I say before slowly inserting the tip into her.

I gently made my way upwards, and once the entire head is in, I thrust in a quick manner. After a short while, blood spills out from her vagina.

" D-Does it hurt?"

" Yeah... but keep going! I can handle... Ah!" She muffles her moan with a hand as I continue to thrust in to her.

I don't really have much knowledge with this, and this is my first time to be honest. As I quicken my pace, Monika arches her back and I could feel her insides convulsing around me. Her hand then plays with her clit as I thrust in and out. She cries out in pleasure, then pulls me closer in an embrace.

" I'm finally one with you, Yoku!"

" Yes, I feel really warm and happy."

We say to each other before exchanging a passionate kiss. As we kiss, I quicken my pace but try to hold it in. Not yet. Monika is shaking, waves of pleasure echo trough our bodies with every thrust. I change my position so that we are now sitting up instead of lying down. She is surprised by this, the new position causes her body weight to fall on my dick, allowing it to penetrate deeper. She clamps down on my shoulder due to me hitting her deepest parts. Soon, her legs and arms cling to me tightly, and we begin to move.

" Yoku... I... Ah! I'm cumming!"

" Yeah, me too. Let's come, together!" We exchange in a passionate kiss. A warm embrace makes us feel like we're just one whole. Monika pulls away, and cries out my name in pleasure.

" Yoku!!!"

"Monika!"

" I'm... CUMMIIIIIIING!!"

WE CRY OUT IN ECSTASY. MY MIND WENT BLANK FOR A SECOND DUE TO THE INTENSE PLEASURE. I LET OUT A HUGE LOAD, WHILE HER VAGINA CONTRACTS WILDLY WHILST SQUIRTING. HER NAILS AND TEETH DIG IN TO ME, HER VAGINA CLAMPING DOWN ON MY HOT AND THROBBING ROD. WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER BEFORE EXCHANGING A KISS, FURTHER AMPLIFYING THE PLEASURE AND BLISS WE ARE FEEELING RIGHT NOW. HER LOWER MOUTH SEEMS TO BE EATING MY DICK DUE TO HOW HARD IT'S PULLING IT IN.

Our orgasms end after an eternity. We lay down beside each other to catch our breaths. We hold each others hands tightlytightly, our finger intertwining. My bedsheet is a mess of different bodily fluids. The euphoria I just felt was out of this world, and I sure do hope Monika os feeling the same way too. Maybe later, we could try a more rough and ha-

" Hey... one more round?" She asks in a pleading tone.

" Hmm, let me take a break, then we go at it all night." I smile before pulling her in and embracing her. Ahhh... Heaven in a place on earth.

 **THE NEXT DAY** (Akami-sama POV)

Damn Yoku and Monika, they told me they're going with me to the mall. I sigh in dismay, it seems theystayed up all night making love to each other and is too worn out to even stand. I look Natsuki, who is wearing the outfit she wore when she went to Yoku's house to make cupcakes for the festival. I tell her to get in the car, along with Sayori, who is wearing a blue apron dress. I place NyanNyan in a small cage with lots of food and water for the day.

" Damn idiots... canceling the plans to join us." Natsuki mumbles under her breath.

I drove away, towards the amusement park. I want to spend the day with Natsuki there. I smile as I think about her expression when we get there...

 _" Thank you papa! I looooove you so much! You're the best papa ever!"_ I imagine her saying those things. Hehehe, yes, it's important to for me to show Natsuki how a father should treat their children. I continue to focus on the road as we speed away. But when we got there, that's not the response I got.

" T-The amusement park?! The tickets to that place is expensi-"

" I've already bought three." I say to Natsuki, who is now stammering in shock.

" H-How much is-"

" 300 dollars." Her face turns pale at me saying the number.

" Y-You spent such a large amount of money... on me..." Natsuki looks lifeless. I sigh and walk up to her.

" Well, I want my daughter to have some fun! Besides, look at Sayori, she is already inside the gates... wait, WHAT?!" We look at Sayori waving at us, then to the tickets I'm holding, she took one. We immediately rush inside.

The park is full of people, but thankfully, Sayori was waiting for us inside. Sayori wants to ride the Ferris wheel, but Natsuki wants to ride the roller coaster. I tell them to play rock paper scissors, and Sayori wins. We made our way to the Ferris wheel, a huge and imposing structure that is probably as tall as a skyscraper. We got inside one of the carts and we sat comfortably inside.

" Damn it Sayori! You know I hate heights!" Natsuki weakly shouts as we slowly ascend. She takes hold of my arm and shivers.

" Really?! I forgot! I'm sorry Natsuki! Ehehe~" Sayori smiles awkwardly. TThen I had a great idea.

I made a gust of wind slowly but noticeably rock our cart. Natsuki is now freaking out.

" HOLY SHIT WE'RE GONNA DIE!" She cries out as I made the rocking faster. Even Sayori is clearly worried about this, so I decided to stop.

I look outside to see the view. Meh, it's pretty boring. Just an open field with a few towns here and there and a mountain range around us. But I look at the girls and I see they were awed by sich a view. Even Natsuki, who was just scared a few minutes ago, is now looking out in awe. I guess seeing something in a new angle makes it more beautiful. The ride is peaceful, the two girls are enjoying the view, even of Natsuki is tightly holding onto me for dear life.

The two lets go of me when the ride ends and immediately pulls me to the roller coaster. We got on the intimidating ride. I could see around 8 different kinds of turns and rotations. We strap in our safety belts and prepare for the ride. The ride is nauseating, the different sharp turns and loops the roller coaster threw at me made my stomach tie itself into knots. What the hell?! Why is the two beside me having so much fun? Their excited shouts and cheers resonate trough the air. Humans, such strange creatures. We got off the ride, and I stumble around, the blood in my legs seem to have rushed upwards towards my upper body. But before I could offer my assistance to the two who must also be stumbling around, they grab me by the hands and pull me to the next ride.

For a few more hours, we rode nearly every ride in this park. From the Anchors Away ride to the tower which free falls you to the ground. I think the most peaceful ride here is the damn carousel and the ride where you get on a small boat and go up and down the clean and beautiful river that goes trough the park. We decide to have lunch here before going to the next place on my itinerary. We stop by the food court and bought some burgers. We sat down and the two begins to talk about their experience.

" I love the river rapids ride. Especially the part where we went trough ths waterfall, you know, the part where just before it reaches you it stops! I like the look on Akami-sensei's face! Ahaha" Natsuki says as she takes a bite out of the burger.

" Well I only packed 1 extra pair of clothes! Geez, why do people like excitement and dangerous stuff so much!" I cry out in dismay.

" Ehehe, it's pretty fun! I guess... I don't know. Why do you even hate thrill seeking so much?" Sayori asks with a fry sticking out of her mouth.

" I don't hate thrill seeking! I hate the part where they spin you around in 4G's! All that twisting and turning and free falling made my brain go haywire!" I chuckle as I take a bite out of my burger.

" But isn't your brain already messed up?" Natsuki chuckles as she said those words.

" Haha, hilarious! Coming from a cute girl, that's pretty harsh!" Sayori and I chuckle as Natsuki starts to become irritated.

" I-I'M NOT CUTE! IDIOT!" She huffs before gulping down the last piece of her burger.

" Whatever you say. Now, why don't we get going. I want to fly the kite I bought." We stand up and headed towards the parking lot.

Since the park I wanted to go to is near, it only took a matter of time for us to gwt there. Sayori brought the blanket and parasol and finds a spot while me and Natsuki assembled the kite. It is a pretty large kite with an eagle design. I look over at Sayori, who is watching us from the shade. She waves at us and cheers us on.

" Okay Natsuki, you run while I throw the kite up. Okay?" Natsuki nods and holds the line for the kite.

" Ready when you are!" Natsuki shouts as she readies herself. I give her a thumbs up and I begin to count down.

" 5... 4... 3... 2... 1!!! Go!" I throw the kite up and Natsuki runs as fast as she could. Thankfully, we manage to get it to fly on our first run.

We sit down beside Sayori. The kite flying high in the sky. We watch from under the shade of our parasol the movement of the kite as it calmly glides trough the air.

" This... This is what parents do on their bonding trips with their children, right?" I ask Natsuki, who is holding her legs as she sits.

" I don't really know. My father never took me on trips like this." She says as she looks at the kite.

" Well, now you know Natsuki! I think this is more than enough for a bonding trip." Sayori says as she lays down on the blanket.

" Hehe, this is also a first for me! I've never really took my children on some sort of bonding trip. Because I have none!" We laugh at what I just said. Ahhhh, the sweet sound of laughter.

" Anyway, did you guys have fun today? If you want to go somewhere elese, just tell me." I ask them as I throw my arms behind my head to rest.

" Nah... Doing this is already a great experience for me." Natsuki smiles at me. That warm and precious smile, the thing Yoku really wants to protect, I see it now.

We spent the entire afternoon flying the kite, playing a game of cards, goofing around and just messing around. It was around 3 in the afternoon when we all decided to go home. Sayori packs up the blanket and parasol while I pull the kite back down to the ground. Suddenly, Natsuki sneaks up behind me and gives me a hug.

" Thanks for the fun day, Papa~" She says as she collapse in exhaustion on my back. I smile and gently pick her up on my back to give her a piggy back ride.

Sayori smiles as we walk up to the car. I shush her to avoid Natsuki from waking up. I place her in the back seat gently, putting a pillow on her head to make her comfortable. After a long day, it's finally time for us to go home.

" Sayori, don't delete that picture." I say as we drove off.

" Hmm? Why? Natsuki might get angry of she sees this." She says while showing me an image of me carrying Natsuki while she sleeps.

" A remembrance. You never know when I might disappear." I laugh awkwardly as I drive.

Yeah, a remembrance. I wish I could keep some for the next world.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE!** **HERE IT IS! THE CHAPTER I OWED YOU GUYS! Anyway, the past four or five chapters have been fillers but at least it managed to slightly help Natsuki. Anyway, I think this concludes the Natsuki Arc. The next chapter would be the start of the Yuri Arc. Hmmmm, what could you say, Akami-sama?** _Hmmm, I think it would be hard for Yoku since he would be losing the convenient Deus ex Machina tool. Anyway, this is it for me guys! Bye!_ **Well, next chapter might be up later! So see ya guys later!**


	24. Farewells, Part One

**Author's Note!** **The next two chapters would be all about Akami-sama and basically wrap up everything that concerns the god. After that I guess we should start working on Yuri, huh? Anyway, here is the next chapter.**

( Yoku POV)

Monika and I spent the whole day sitting on the sofa. Damn it, my legs, back, arms and neck are sore from what we did last night. Monika can't walk and her body is sore all over. My body is covered in marks and scratches because of Monika.

" Yoku~ I want water!" Monika points weakly towards the kitchen.

" I can't. You drained me of all my strength." I say as one of my legs hang limply at the side of the sofa.

 _Initiate .chr restore sequence_

A bright light envelops us. Suddenly, I could feel my strength returning, bit by bit. The sores and scratches on our bodies also disappear. After a brief moment, the strange light disappears and a pink dialogue box appears before us.

[ You guys better not be having sex again! Go make dinner now!]

We stand up and stretch our limbs. Thanks Akami-sama... Wait, COULDN'T HE HAVE DONE THAT EARLIER?! Guess that god just wanted us to have a relaxing day for ourselves.

" Aaahh! Standing up feels so good! And I don't feel parched anymore." Monika exclaims cheerfully as she stretches her arms.

" Hmmm, it seems they're coming ho- What the hell is wrong with that?" I point at the notebook Akami-sama gave us. It's shaking slightly and glowing dimly. I pick it up and I take a look at its pages.

 **ERROR:ERROR** **INSUFFICIENT ENERGY. POCKET DIMENSION BACKUP ENERGY IS DEPLETED. DUMPING DATA.**

Suddenly, the notebook started to glow brightly and shake violently. Suddenly, it started to levitate and a small portal opened. Then a bunch of small lines of code appear in my living room. It then manifests into different items, then more and more items flooded into the living. room.

" Y-Yoku! What is this?!" Monika cries out as she is being buried in different kinds of items.

" AKAMI-SAMA!!!" I shout and cry out as a bunch of weapons like swords and guns fall beside me.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, it finally stops. Monika and I manage to wriggle out of the huge pile of clutter in the room. Holy hell, the items in front of me ranges from what seems to be primordial rocks to futuristic guns. I sigh as I look at some of the items. There is an Iron Cross with some German papers, a piece of black wood with the word Hiroshima on it, a large scale with a paper wrapped around it with the name 'Dragon' on it. I look around some more and see a familiar oven with the name 'Phone Microwave' written on it, a large sword called Excalibur and a wooden chalice and a spear with blood on its end. Monika found some badass looking pistols, they are black and white coloured with a long barrel. They are kept in a box with the name 'Alucard' etched on it. I tell her to put it down, and continue to inspect the items. I've found the Necronomicon and a box with the words 'Philosopher's Stone's written on it. I continue looking around when I found a hand among the clutter.

" What the hell?! OH MY GOD IT'S A PERSON!" I jump back in shock as a young blonde girl wearing a gothic lolita costume stood up from among the clutter. Her face and skin is like that of a porcelain doll due to it's smooth, silky and pale appearance.

" HUH?! W-WHERE AM I? AKAMI?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" The girl fumbled around and before panicking once more.

" THE COLLECTION! IT'S A MESS! AKAMI-SAMA IS GOING TO KILL ME IF I DON'T FIX THIS!" The girl then started picking up some of the items and arranging them on the floor.

" Monika, make some tea. I'll handle this." Monika nods and runs to the kitchen. I kneel down beside the girl and pick up a small dagger, only for my hand to be slap.

" Do not touch! Dangerous!" The girl looks at me harshly, before taking the dagger.

" Sorry! Um, may I ask, who are you?"

" Her name is Maido." A voice from the front door said with a concerned tone.

" Akami-sama!" The girl skips excitedly towards the god.

" Hmm? Oh my, did the pocket dimension finally collapse? That took a while." The god enters the house slowly. The two slowly and sleepily following him.

" Eh? Are we in my room? It's very messy here." Sayori says sleepily while rubbing her eyes.

" Nope. It seems the movers finally brought my stuff over. Oh! Why don't you and Natsuki check on NyanNyan while I clean up?" Akami-sama spoke with a warm and persuasive voice. His lies are so damn easy to see, but the airhead kept believing them.

" Sure! It would be much better to play with that monster than clean this mess." Natsuki says before taking Sayori by the hand and running off.

" Now, let's get this mess cleaned up. Maido! Inventory Check!" The god shouts as he opens his command console.

" All items complete. Items are:

728 elements, 118 known. All radioactive materials are sealed properly.

750000000 books. 40% Of said books are eroge. 10% Historical books. 20% Literature books. 30% categorized as 'Whatever'.

3000000 artifacts. Separated in different periods ranging from ancient to future time periods.

90000000 weapons. Ranging from non-magical to magical. 5% of weapons possess the trait called 'Ragnarok' the abilty to destroy universes.

278 living essentials

500 memorabilias from different realities.

798 skulls of former enemies.

98000 electronic devices.

571000 sexual parapher-"

" Ok stop. I've heard enough." Akami-sama raises a hand. He looks around before snapping his fingers.

" Everyone, hold on tight!" He says before entering something in the command console.

 _/Object create: Wall.30x30x30, Location:5 meters below characterID_Akami-sama_

The room begins to shake violently as if there an earthquake is happening. A small door appears on the floor, then the room stops shaking. Then once again, the god types something on the console.

 _Initiate transfer sequence_ _/Delete items categorized under: Ragnarok_

Suddenly, the clutter in the living room disappears from view. The god clasps his hands together and smiles.

" Maido, rearrange the mess downstairs please." The girl merely nods before climbing down the newly formed basement... Wait, THE DOOR RUINS THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSE!

" Akami-sama! Don't make the it stick out of place!" I point at the rustic looking hatch. The god laughs and snaps his fingers, making the design of the hatch fit the design of the light brown hardwood flooring.

I sigh and take a sit on the sofa. I can hear the loud and messy moving of clutter in my new basement. Monika sets down some hot green tea on the coffee table. I took a sip of the tea before letting out my damn anger on the god.

" WHAT THE HELL MAN?! I THINK I SAW AN INFINITY GAUNTLET IN THERE, WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN KEEPING?" I angrily say as I put down the mug on the table.

" Hahaha, it's a shame I have to delete that. Anyway, I've been collecting things to help me remember the realities I've visited. But some of the items there are for my personal needs as well." The god lets out a hearty chuckle.

" But then, who is that... Maido?" Monika asks as she sips a cup of tea.

" She is a helper I made to help take care of my collection. You don't have to worry about her, she is merely a simple program." The god smile as he takes a sip of tea.

" Anyway, tomorrow I'd go spend the day here. Hiding from Natsuki. Of course I'm gonna tell them my goodbyes, I'm not some uncivilized monster to not say good bye to the people I consider my children!" He chuckles as he sips his tea.

" I'm going to give you my collection. You know, to remember the person that made all of this. And take good care of Maido! It was a pain in the ass to code her AI! Of I remember correctly... I think I spent a few centuries fixing bugs and coding her AI." He laugh as he reminisce some rather fond memories.

" Ahhh, I can't believe I'll die tomorrow, or rather, get deleted. It's been a nice life... Ahaha... You guys want dinner?" The god stands up and clasps his hands together.

The god hums as he made his way to the kitchen. Monika and I stare at the cup of tea in our hands. What a troublesome being, he is a huge pain in my ass, drops by whenever he wants, a complete and utter fool, but most of all... it would be hard for me when he is gone. I stand up and let out a heavy sigh. Monika looks at me with a worried look on her green eyes.

" I'm going to pick up Natsuki and Sayori. You stay here and... watch over the damn kitchen." I laugh as I leave the house.

The cold breeze blew gently, yet it sent a chill down to my bones. The bright street lights illuminates the streets nicely. I walk towards Sayori's house, hearing the playful laughter of the two and the meowing of NyanNyan. I knock on the door before opening it. I see Sayori and Natsuki paying with a kitten as white as the snow. It seems that Akami-sama also took the little ball of anger to a groomer. The little kitten runs up to me and rubs itself on my leg.

" Look! NyanNyan likes you!" Sayori points at the small kitten.

" Haha, it seems it finally decided to show its cute side. Like somebody here." I give Natsuki a glance before chuckling.

" I-I'M NOT CUTE! AND I HAVEN'T SHOWN YOU ANY 'CUTE' SIDE!!! Idiot!" Natsuki huffs at me. Her face turning red with anger.

" Eh? But your reaction right now is pretty cute!" I walk over and pet her on the head.

" Get your hands off me! Perv!" Natsuki hisses at me.

" Fine. Fine. Look, dinner is ready. Although Akami-sama is the one cooking." I said to the girls.

" Oh, then what are we waiting for? We shouldn't let the food get cold!" Sayori perks up and immediately drags Natsuki out of the door. I pick up NyanNyan and we head towards my house.

We enter the lively household. I look around to see that Maido and Monika are sitting on the dining table while Akami-sama is cooking in the backround. The aroma of basil and tomatoes fill the air as it wafts trough our noses. We plop ourselves down on the dining table and listen to Maido's story. Monika just finished asking the little girl if Akami-sama is good at cooking.

" Hey! I'm pretty good at coo-" Akami-sama tries to answer the question, but Maido cuts him off.

" That is a contradiction. Master rarely cooks, and in the rare times he did, it is either palatable or repulsive." Her tone is calm and gentle. An aura of elegance emanates from her.

" Anyway, what is your relationship with Akami-sensei?" Natsuki asks the girl, who gives her a blank stare, before answering.

" Maido is a property of Akami-sama's design. I am tasked with responsibility of taking care of Akami-sama's collection." She spoke in an unfeeling tone, like a machine. Suddenly, Akami-sama serves us a plate of spaghetti.

" Oops! I totally forgot about that! Maido, starting today, I'm not your master anymore!" Akami-sama says in a cheerful tone as he sat down. But as he took a sit, Maido stands up.

" Affirmative. Maido is no longer of use to master, I am being thrown away. I wi-" Akami-sama throws his arms up and shakes his head.

" Woah! Woah! Hold it right there! It's not like that! I'm saying that you will now recognize Yoku as your new master! Geez, automatons take everything seriously." Akami-sama sighs and settles down. Maido stares at me for a moment, before sitting down.

" Affirmative. Maido no longer recognizes Akami as her master and is no longer obligated to follow any commands from him." She says in a cold manner before beginning to eat.

" Geez... what is her deal? It's like she isn't a person at all." Natsuki mumbles as she begins to twist the noodles around her fork.

" Now, on to the main topic. As you all know, I would be traveling the world for a while. I don't know when I'll get back, but please don't worry about me!" Akami-sama says with a calm tone to prevent tg

he girls from panicking.

" Oh, but... can't you contact us trough-"

" No can do Natsuki. I'll be going off the grid. You know, to help me search for myse-"

" That is a contradiction. Akami-sama cannot travel the entire world due to his hea-" I tug on the girl's blouse to get her attention and to make her stop talking.

" Maido, this is an order... do not tell them." I whisper to her quietly. She stares at me for a moment before nodding.

" My apologies. Please continue." The table shifts their attention from us to Akami-sama.

" Anyway, yeah... I'll be off the grid while I travel. In the meantime, Maido here would be the one taking care of the household while I'm gone." The god smiles to try and lift the solemn atmosphere on the table. Natsuki stops eating and looks at the god.

" Do you... really have to go?" Natsuki asks, and we can see that she is holding back her tears.

" I'm really sorry... I have too. I still need to find someone, someone very important." The room became dead silent. Natsuki's lips quiver and she folds her hands into a fist. She stands up angrily, tears falling from her face.

" I... I'm not hungry anymore." She says weakly before running away. Tears trail behind her as she dashes trough the front door.

" Natsuki! Wait! God damn it..." I shout to try and grab her attention in vain.

" Let her be, she needs some time alone." Monika tried to comfort me, but I just can't help but feel sorry for her.

We continue to eat in silence. The atmosphere around us is heavy. Nobody could really enjoy a good meal with this kind of tension in the air. Thankfully, Sayori finally breaks the silence.

" U-Ugh... I'd sure miss your lively chats here in the dining table!" Sayori says cheerfully yet awkwardly.

" Hoh? Why is that? You have a bunch of friends here Sayori, so you have no reason to miss my awfully boring stories." The god says before drinking a glass of water.

" Well... That's the point! Without you, who would serve as the main source of laughter during dinner time? You're the one who sets the atmosphere in this house, and it would sure be a little less brighter without you here, Akami-sensei." Sayori says to the god with a warm tone.

" Sayori, I-"

" Not to mention... who would protect us at school? You were the one that actively fought against those meanies, and without you, Yoku won't be able to face them alone." Sayori says with a saddened tone.

I remember now! Akami-sama is the one preventing the three girls from being bullied at school. Since he has the power to nearly everything that is happening, he is able to prevent the girls from being picked on or harassed by the other students. I shot a worried look at Sayori, who is still looking intently at the god.

" Sayori... I'm really sorry. But please understand. I can't always be here to protect you guys. Yoku however, I know he can. So please, don't place your faith in me, Yoku here is the hero of this club." The god smiles as he points at me.

" Still... We will all miss you. Without you here, the house would be more quieter." Sayori grumbles as she looks at her empty plates.

" Then double the noise you make! Ahaha! Simple! Just make the same amount of noise as me and it would be like I was never gone!" Sayori can't help but chuckle at the god's strange answer.

" Yup, I'll surely miss you... Akami-sama." Sayori says with a cheerful yet weak tone.

" Oh, I'll miss you guys too." The god says in a comforting voice and a smile.

After dinner, Maido insisted that she will wash the dishes. I reluctantly agree to let her wash the dishes. Sayori and Akami-sama went home to talk with Natsuki, while Monika and I went to bed. We change into our pajamas and jump on top of the mattress. Thankfully, Monika can restore an item to a new and cleaner state. The smell of lavender fills my nose as I bury my face in the pillows.

" Yoku... give me a goodnight's kiss?" Monika whispers to me before looking at me with puppy eyes.

" Sure. Here... Muah~" I gently kiss her cheek before laying down on my side to face her.

I pull her closer so that I can cuddle with her. The warmth that radiates from her body made me feel at ease. I wrap my warms around her and nuzzles her nose. Her soft breathing, the way her legs try to wrap around mine and her fragrant brown hair slowly made me sleepy.

" Hey, do you think Natsuki would be fine?" Monika asks in a soft and worried tone.

" I don't know. But let's just hope for the best, okay?" I reply to her sleepily. She stays quiet and pulls me closer to her.

As I drift off to sleep, I sigh quietly. I don't know why, but I feel that things might take a turn for the worse on Monday. The usually relaxing and soothing sleep I get with Monika is not able to keep such thoughts away from me. What would happen to the world now? The restlessness and anxiousness I feel right now is unbearable. I just want this whole thing to be over with.


	25. Farewell God!

I woke up around four in the morning. I couldn't sleep. Today is the day that god disappears from my life, and it kept worrying me. If his pocket dimension collapsed due to him weakening, what would happen to this world? The world which he created with his powers? God, this is so frustrating. I look over at Monika, who is tightly holding my arm. I brush aside some of her silky, brown hair from her face and kiss her softly before I got out of bed. I quietly made my way downstairs to avoid waking up anyone. I am surprised to see that Maido is already up... no, rather she did not sleep. She sat in the sofa, facing the hatch that leads into the basement with cold, unmoving eyes.

" Ehem, Maido... Ummm, did you not sleep?" I ask the girl, surprising her a little bit, but she regains her composure in a short amount of time.

" Master Yoku. It's a surprise to see you up this early. It seems my estimate of when you would wake up is wrong." She said in a machine like manner. Her voice cold yet calm.

" Just call me Yoku. And I think we need to do something about your... personality." I say as I take a sit beside her.

" Negative, one does not need perso-"

" Onee-san. Act like an Onee-san." I say anxiously to the straight faced girl beside me. She ponders for a bit, then lightly slaps her cheek and shakes her head. Suddenly, her usual serious and calm expression turns into that of a warm and caring one.

" Y-Yoku, do you want to drink some tea? What are you even doing up this late?" She says with a gentle and caring tone. I giggle for a bit at this sudden change.

" Ahaha, pretty nice... now act like a tsundere!" I said out loud. She then pouts, folds her arms and puffs out her cheeks.

" Yoku! Geez, you damn idiot. If you don't get enough sleep, you might get sick! You dummy! B-But it's not like I like you or anything... Idiot..." Maido says in a high pitched and irritated tone. I laugh in amusement.

" You know, I'm not a toy! You and Akami-sama are so alike. What a handful " She says with a dismayed voice while shaking her head.

" I'm switching to Close Friend mode, if that is alright. It seems you prefer a more, natural and human personality." Maido says as she looks at me warmly. I could see that her yellow eyes finally have a hint of emotion in them.

" Anyway, Maido, why did the pocket dimension collapse?" I ask the girl with a confused tone.

" Well, the pocket dimension requires Akami-sama to constantly flood it with energy in order for it to function. But Akami-sama can no longer do that due to his weakening state." Maido said with an expressionless tone. She stands up and clasps her hands together.

" Yoku, would you like some tea? Perhaps coffee?" The girl asks with a smile on her face.

" Tea would be nice right now." I reply to her as I relax on my seat. Maido nods and head towards the kitchen.

I observe the slim and thin girl as she begins to move in my kitchen. Her small figure and quick movements give off a whimsical aura around her. Her soft humming could be faintly heard due to the silence around us. The gothic lolita design of her maid uniform gives a childish yet knowledgeable impression. I look at her intently, the little girl's movement has now become slower and more precise while brewing the tea. Suddenly, I feel a weight pressing down on the space beside me. I turn my head to see Akami-sama, also staring at Maido as she brew the tea.

" If you want to know her three sizes... from the top it's 77-" I am startled and speechless as a knife flies by towards the god. Thankfully, he managed to catch the kinfe with his fingers just mere inches from his face.

" It is rude to reveal such information." Maido glares at the god. Akami-sama laughs in response.

" Ahaha, can't you at least forgive m-"

" In all the 27 billion years I have served you, you have sexually harassed me 9 times, all of which are by groping me. That is not forgivable." Maido finishes talking at the same time she finished making the tea.

" Maido~ That is because you are so cute!" The god says cheerfully, only to be met by a disgusted look by Maido.

" You truly... baffle me." Maido says as she places the tea on the table.

She sat down beside me and begins to sip her tea. It is the macha tea that I received a few months ago, back in my old reality. Then as I sip on the hot tea, it hit me.

" A-Am... Am I going to die?!" I ask the god in a worried tone. For a second, he had a grim look on his face, before bursting into laughter.

" Ahahahahaha! No! You see Yoku, your character file is from this world. And your code, errr, rather program, is recognized by this simulation as a part of it. Unlike me, I have a special item ID that only my reality can recognize." The god says as he takes a long sip from his cup.

" You know, it was a pain in the ass to convert Maido's data into the language used in this universe. Speaking of which, you have too many of my stuff to take care off. I'll go ahead and delete some of the items downstairs." The god puts down his cup and pulls out his command console. He types quickly and soon puts it away

" There! Now all that remains from my vast collection are my books. Wow! What a pretty nice inheritance! You've got 10 million dollars, your own maid, a huge stash of books and a nice house." The god chuckles as he once again drinks his tea.

" How's Natsuki? Is she taking this well?" I ask him due to the me being worried about her.

" She... locked herself in her room and refused to talk to anyone. Well, I do understand her feelings. For a short time, she finally has a father that actually treats her like a human being. Only to be ripped away from her." The god, which usually has a cheerful smile, frowns at this.

" Then make her talk to you. I can't believe this idiot created me." Maido says as she sips the tea. The god looks at her with a baffled expression.

" Hoh? I see you've discarded Servant Mode. I've only noticed it now, but your words and mannerisms are no longer machine like. Good for you!" Akami-sama smiles at Maido.

" _Yawn~_ What are you guys doing up so early?" We all look at Monika as she made her way downstairs. She sits beside me, then looks me straight in the eyes.

" Lap. I'm going to lay my head on your lap to rest." She raises my arm before plopping down her head on my lap. After a moment, she falls asleep.

I brush her brown hair to help her relax. I smile as she gently cling onto my arms as I pull away. So much for her being a dominatrix, when she is asleep, it's like she is a different person. I look at the time to see it is already 4:42 am. I continue to brush Monika's silky, brown hair as I slowly drift away to sleep.

" Wake me up at around 6 in the morning, Maido." I say to Maido as I close my tired eyes.

I woke up due to a light breeze and a rosy fragrance hitting my face. I open my eyes to see Maido gently blowing on me to wake me up. I recoil in surprise, accidentally waking up Monika in the process. Maido leans back and smiles warmly.

" Good morning! How was your nap? I hope it was nice." Maido plays with the frills on her dress as she waits for my answer.

" Okay, why were you blowing on my face?" I ask with a confused tone.

" That's how I wake up Akami-sama from his naps. Should I stop doing it?" She asks as she looks at me with a curious expression.

" Yes. Now, where is Akami-sama?" I ask just as Monika sits up and rubs her eyes.

" At Sayori's house. He went to check on Natsuki." Maido says as she stretches her arms.

" Yoku~ I want pancakes for breakfast! I want it now~" Monika orders me sleepily, her finger pointing to the kitchen.

I pet her on her head and got up. I stretch my arms a little before walking towards the kitchen. To my surprise, the ingredients have already been prepped on top of the counter. I hear grumbling behind me, so I turn around to see Maido and Monika rubbing their stomachs.

" Um... Akami-sama told me you make delicious pancakes. So... erm... I prepared it for you." Maido said with a flustered expression.

" Take a sit and I'll cook you guys some delicious pancakes." I say with a confident tone in my voice.

It took a while, but I finish making pancakes for all of us. I place the pancakes on The table and grab some orange juice, butter and syrup from the refrigerator. I take a sit beside Monika so that I could start eating my breakfast. I pour a little bit of syrup and put some butter on the large pile before me. The pancake has a soft and fluffy feel as I plunge my fork into the pancake. I took. small bite and sweetness overflows from the pancake.

" Delicious~" I giggle as I observe Maido savoring the pancake. I look beside me to see Monika has flooded her pancakes with syrup.

" I could feel myself getting diabetes just by loo-" The front door opens suddenly and Sayori enters while pouting at me.

" You were gonna eat breakfast... without me! Meanies!" I laugh as she walks over to the table.

" Ehehe, I thought you were still asleep. But here, I made some for you too." I slide over a plate of pancakes to Sayori. Her expression change into that of happiness .

" Well, I was sleeping, Akami-sensei just woke me up and told me Yoku made pancakes. And for remembering to make me pancakes, I forgive you. Teehee~" Sayori spreads some butter and syrup over her pancakes and begins to eat.

" De... *chomp* li ...*chomp* cious!" Sayori said with a muffled tone in between bites.

" Eat first, talk later." I say as I look at Sayori. Her only response is a thumbs up.

" Anyway, where is Akami-sensei and Natsuki?" I ask as I take a sip from the orange juice. Sayori swallows the mouthful of pancake she has in her mouth.

" He said he is going to talk to her in private." Sayori says with a concerned tone. She pauses for a moment and sighs.

(Akami-sama POV)

Ugh... It's getting harder for me to get up the stairs. My side and knees hurt like hell. I stand in front of Natsuki's door, carrying some strawberry ice cream for us. I knock on the door gently.

" Natsuki? You in there? I have ice cream, and Yoku made breakfast for us. You want to come out?" I say with a gentle and calm tone as I wait for a response.

" No... go away! I don't like you anymore." She shouts from within her room. I let out a heavy sigh and place my hand on the handle.

" Doesn't matter, I'm going in." I begin to turn the knob. I unlock the door and I could hear her stand up in shock.

" Huh?! Wha! Hey! Nooooo!" I can hear her fumbling around the room. Suddenly, I hear a loud thud and a few things falling to the floor. I open the door to check on her. I see Natsuki lying on the floor and rubbing her head.

" Did you fall off the bed?" I ask as I walk over to her.

" N-No! I tripped." She says as she stands up and dusts herself off.

" Pfft, reasons. Anyway, let's go eat breakfast." I say as I pat her head. But before I could turn around, she lightly punches me on my arm. I turn around to ask why, only to be met by a face that is on the verge of tears.

" How could you act so calm? Aren't you worried about us?" She ask angrily yet her voice quivers.

" I have to act calm. If I cry, it would only worry you guys more. And besides, I have no reason to worry." I smile warmly as I say this words.

" I have faith in Yoku. And you must have faith in him too! I know that Yoku would be able to take care of you guys when I'm gone, so don't be sad." I pat Natsuki on her shoulder as we begin to walk.

" Still... I'm gonna miss you. All those times we spent together, I really felt like I have a father that loves me. And now, you're going away... that's really cruel." Natsuki begins to wipe away some of the tears that are starting to fall down her cheeks.

" I'm going to miss all of you guys too. You know what, why don't we all go marathon some anime? I won't be leaving till 10:00 pm. What do you say?" Natsuki stares at me before wiping away her tears.

" It may not be as great as the amusement park, but at least I'll be able to spend some more time with you. Let's do it!" Natsuki manages to smile even when the tears she has been holding back are now falling like a waterfall.

" Heh, to think the toughest girl I know is in tears due to some old man leaving. Let's get going before our pancakes get eaten by Sayori. Ahaha!" I let out a hearty laugh as I made my way out of her room while still carrying the ice cream.

( Yoku's POV)

We finish eating our breakfast when the door opens. Sayori immediately drops the fork she was about to plunge into Natsuki's pancakes. Natsuki sighs and takes a sit beside beside her. I notice that her eyes and cheeks are puffy and red, a sign that she was just crying earlier. I immediately look at the god, now sitting beside Maido.

" Natsuki... Are you ok?" Monika asks Natsuki, who is currently pouring honey on the pancakes.

" Never better. Hey Yoku! Where is the butter?" She answered with a brash tone as she looks for the butter.

" Hold on, let me get some from the refrigerator." I say as I stand up and I walk over to the fridge to get butter. I place the stick of butter in front of her and I went ahead and begin washing the dishes the four of us used.

" Aaaaaaah! Man, I'll miss your cooking, Yoku!" The god says as he places a hand on his cheek.

" Glad you like it!" I say as I start rinsing the dishes.

After everyone is done eating, Akami-sama pulls out an external hard-drive from his pocket. He says he wants to go watch some anime with us before he leaves. I tell him to go ahead and plug it into the TV. I finish washing the dishes and I figure I should go and make some popcorn for us. We settle down in front of the TV as Akami-sama picked a show.

" Oh! Why don't we watch Hellsing: Ultimate? I haven't watched it yet." I say as I place the popcorn on the coffee table.

" Heh, it's a really cool anime. I can't believe you haven't watched it." The god sighs as he plays the first episode.

It is around 7:30 am when we started watching. Well, action packed animes might be my favorite shows to watch, I don't think Natsuki and Sayori enjoys it. The gore on episode 1 alone made Sayori feel uneasy. After we finish the hour long episode, I decide that maybe we shouldn't watch this.

" Maybe we should watch something with less... blood." Sayori says as she looks away from the TV.

" Oh! I know! Let's watch something moe. Hmmmmm... I know! Let's watch No Game No Life!" The god immediately plays the first episode of the show.

I've watched it a couple of times now, but watching it in the same situation, it kinda made Monika and I feel uneasy, but everyone else seem to enjoy it. We finish watching the show around 11:30 am. I was about to make lunch when Akami-sama grabs my hand and pulls me back to the seat.

" Learn to relax Yoku. Any second now it wou-" Akami-sama is interrupted by the the ring of the door bell. Maido stands up and answers the door. It is a pizza delivery boy carrying four boxes of pizzas. She takes the boxes of pizza from the boy's hands.

" Uhh... ma'am, I... err... can assist you." The boy said as he look worriedly at Maido.

" No... need! Please... go away... now, thank you!" Maido closes the door politely on the boy and struggles to walk over to us.

" I can't believe someone as short and frail like you can carry those heavy boxes.

" Shut... up." Maido manages to wheeze out as she place the boxes on the table.

" Don't tease small people like that, Akami-sensei! You meanie!" Sayori pouts at the god who is currently laughing at Maido.

" You're just rubbing salt into the wound." Maido says as she takes a seat.

The two pink haired girls went for the pepperoni pizza, I took a slice from the meatlover's pizza. I look over at Monika to see she is eating the vegetarian pizza Akami-sama ordered. Maido and Akami-sama are sharing the four cheese pizza he ordered. As we ate our food, we decide to continue watching more anime. I guess DanMachi would do fine.

After a few more hours of watching anime, I stand up to stretch my legs a little. We spent the day watching Boku no Hero Academia and Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I look at the time and it's already 7 in the evening! I scramble up to make dinner but once again, the god stops me.

" You guys stay here. I'm gonna make us a feast! After all, it's my last meal here. Ahahahaha!" The god laughs heartily as he stands up.

We watch some more anime as the kitchen rumble and shake due to the god's movements. After watching two episodes of Overlord when Akami-sama called us over. I look at the time once again and see that it is already 7:40 pm. We head to the dining room to see a large amount of food laid before us. Roasted chicken, potato salad, mashed potato, stir fried vegetables, mushroom soup, a meatloaf, garlic breadsticks and fried tofu.

" Everyone! Enjoy and eat to your hearts content!" The god beckons us to the table. The first to sit down and partake of the scrumptious meal are Sayori and Natsuki.

We all took a sit and begin to eat. The food is delicious and flavorful. The dining room is the brightest it has ever been. We laugh and smile as we ate, the house being filled with the noise of our merrymaking. We exchange stories and let out the things that are running trough our minds like our studies, friends, and other stuff. I then notice Sayori pouting at the side of the table. I ask her why she is pouting, and she points to the basket for the garlic bread.

" It's empty and I want more garlic bread." Sayori has a sad expression. Suddenly, the god stands up and takes the basket and turns around.

" And... done! Here you go, Sayori." The god places the basket, now filled to the brim with garlic bread.

" Woah! Y-You made bread out of nothing!" Sayori exclaims as she takes a bite out of a bread.

" Ahaha, maybe, maybe not. The bread... is it good?" The god asks as he takes a sit and pours himself a glass of wine.

" Yup! It's delicious! Anyway, thanks for the food, Akami-sensei!" Sayori said as she takes a bite out of the chicken leg.

" Hey, is it just me or is the water Akami-sensei pouring into his glass turning into wine?" Natsuki whispers to me as she points at the god. He isn't even hiding it, his showing off his powers.

" It's just you." I say as I continue to eat.

We finish eating around 9:00 pm. Damn that is a good meal. Maido is cleaning the dishes while Akami-sama said his goodbyes to the two girls outside. Monika and I sat on the sofa, looking at the log book to see if Yuri is alright. So far, she hasn't done anything worth noticing. Suddenly, the god enters the house and looks at us. He lets out a sigh and summons a recliner beside our sofa, then plopping himself down on said recliner.

" At around 10, a taxi would pull over infront of your house. I'll get on it to trick the two that I'm leaving. After I get to the station I'll just teleport back here." The god says as he looks at the time.

" 9:05 pm... Maido, make me some tea please." He says as he looks at the clock blankly.

" Memento Mori, Latin for 'remember that you have to die'. What a pain in the ass." The god kept staring at the wall blankly. Maido came in with some tea and looks at the god. Suddenly, she hits the god with a rolled up newspaper a couple of times.

" Akami-sama... pathetic." She says as she takes her leave.

" I'm going to watch over the two... and play with NyanNyan." Maido says as she opens the door and gets out.

For the next hour, we continue to drink our tea. It was quiet and solemn, like the moments before a samurai commits seppuku. At around 10, a taxi pulled over and Akami-sama materialized some bags and he heads out. We could hear Natsuki and Sayori shout goodbye as the taxi speeds off. We turn on the TV to watch some anime to kill the time. 15 minutes later, a bunch of codes appear on the recliner and from it, Akami-sama appears. He let's out a sigh once again and proceeds to stare at the wall clock once again.

" We're going to sleep. Wake me up if you need something." I say to the god as Monika and I stand up. He simply nods as he stares at the wall clock.

We lay on my bed and stare blankly at the ceiling. The being responsible for this is now dying in my living room. This being, someone I didn't really knew that much, is making me feel sad. I look over at Monika, but her back is turned against me. I sigh as I close my eyes and wrap my arms around her.

" Yoku... are scared?" Monika whispers quietly.

" Yes, I'm scared. But I'm sure we can get trough this." I whiser to Monika as I pull her closer so that I could hug her. In moments like this I wonder, did I save her or did she save me?

" You think so?" Monika finally turns to look at me. I could see that there are little droplets of tears in her eyes.

" Yes, even without the help of Akami-sama, I'll save all of you." I say as I pull her closer to me.

" I'm glad..." Monika says as she buries her head on my chest. After a moment, I could feel that she has already fallen asleep. So I close my eyes and begin to sleep.

We were woken up by Akami-sama gently shaking us. We immediately sat up and look at my alarm clock, 11:50 pm. Akami-sama took a sit and smiles at us warmly. Not even a trace of worry can be seen on his face, it's just a calm and relaxed expression.

" Yoku... I have to confess something to you." Akami-sama's expression turned to that of worry and sadness.

" The reason I wanted you to end this within two weeks is because... because I don't want you to suffer." The god pauses as he looks at the time.

" Yoku... heed my warning. What ever happens, do not let your hope falter!" Akami-sama says with a reassuring tone.

" Once I'm gone, you're gonna experience one hell of a week. You're about to lose the power of the plot device called 'Deus ex Machina'. To put it simply, you won't have some miracle worker making things easier for you. Every problem you will face now, you will face it alone without me." Akami-sama looks at me sternly and places his hands on my shoulder. For a brief moment, there is silence. But then Akami-sama smiles.

" Don't look so grim, Yoku. I have lived a fulfilling life... all except for one regret. I haven't found the person I promised to save. But at least I've helped you saved the people you care about." Akami-sama stands up and dusts himself off.

" Look, Yoku, I have faith in you. Monika, you better take good care of him! Even if I'm rooting for Natsuki, I believe that Yoku and you are meant to be." Akami-sama looks at Monika with a slight pout on his face.

" Y-Yes! I'll be the best wife for Yoku!" Akami-sama lets out a hearty laugh at Monika's reply.

" Excellent... Now, Yoku, you need to rest. You still have two people to save." Akami-sama says as he turns around. I am surprised and confused at what he just said, so I stand up to try and hold him.

" Wait! What do you mean two?!" I ask the god loudly. He pauses for a moment before turning around.

" Huh? I'm talking about Yuri and-"

 _KILL CODE COMPLETED._

 _INITIATE ANTIVIRUS PROTOCOL_

Akami-sama suddenly glowed brightly before shattering into small glittering glass like pieces. Monika and I watch in shock as the small particles slowly disappear. I didn't know what to feel at that moment, maybe because so many emotions are running trough my mind right now like fear, shock, sadness, confusion and anger. But one thing is clear as day in my mind right now. I don't have anyone to help me protect and save this girls besides Monika.

 _Unknown program deleted successfully._

(Akami-sama's POV)

Arghhh... where am I? Huh... I think I'm in hea... no. This is not heaven. It's empty and white around me. I walk around the white void, looking for some sort of clue as to where I am. I can't use my powers in here, so that means I have been deleted. Suddenly, I see a door in front of me, a really familiar door. I try to open it, only to be met by a message.

 _Condition not met_

 _Condition: If all girls=saved, door will open_

 _Girls saved=2/4_

Ugh... what a damn pain. I hope manages Yoku to figure out the person he needs to save. Man, to think Yoku needs to save _that_ girl. No, wrong, to think he hasn't even noticed that he needs to save _that_ girl. I have not guided him properly.


	26. Akami-sama's Interview, Part Two!

Interview with Akami-sama, Part Two!

Pfft, Pfft, Pfft, Pfft... Huh? OH! I have company! ahahhahahahaha, finally... this damn limbo is boring as fu-... oh, it's you guys... Fine, I'll answer your damn questions. Take a sit in front of me, sorry if I can't make a seat in this blank space. Now, what are your questions?

Q: Who is the fourth girl that needs to be saved?!

A: Ah... You thought it was Monika, But it was her! Sarah!(Jojo Reference) Hhhahhhaha! Joke... The author doesn't want me to talk about it. But I think we guys already know.

Q: What is Maido? And what did you do with her?

A: Oh, her... You see, when I kept traveling trough realities, no one really took care of my collection. So I made her body, then coded her AI, and I programmed her to take care of my pocket dimension. And I sometimes grope her when I get the chance. So, yeah... she is basically a maid, hence the name 'Maido'.

Q: What is that pocket dimension?

A: Well, it's like a backpack and a house combined! It's large and spacious and all of my items are stored in there, along with a TV, a bathroom and all the basic rooms of a house.

Q: Where are we?

A: Frankly... I don't know. It seems we are in the border of two worlds. The door behind me is a gate that leads into some locked and distorted reality.

Q: Why did you have to die?

A: Hmmm, I've already explained that... but the author also wants to see Yoku have a hard time saving the girls.

Q: In your collection, what is the most interesting?

A: Ummmmm... It's either the Phone Microwave from Steins;Gate or Alucard's twin pistols. I got them by copy pasting the data into my dimension.

Q: That hard-drive you got there, the one with your anime collection, where did you get it?

A: When I spawned into existence, I already have this on me. It is actually pretty strange.

Q: From what country are you from?

A: I don't really know... It seems I'm half Japanese and half Caucasian... Damn Author! Since the author doesn't know how to speak or write English that well, I have to be the one to write it all down and translate it... Sigh~... This is the problem with being an omniglot, it confuses you when someone is talking to you in another language and writing it down in another.

Q: What is your relationship with TheReader1118?

A: Hmmmmm... A slave perhaps? No, he might read this later and change the password, a subordinate!

Q: What are your thoughts about the upcoming Yuri arc?

A: Oh boy, I sure am excited! I was told that it is possibly the longest and darkest of all the arcs. You know, TheReader1118 actually dislikes this arc due to the similar experience we had with one of our close friends. That is the reason he took a break for a while, it is a little uncomfortable for him because that person is close to him, thankfully she managed to recover from such a low point in her life. If any of your friends suffers from this kind of behavior and problem, please talk to them about it, but don't force them. Talking with them might actually save their lives.

Q: So, are you sad about leaving them behind?

A: Of course! They were my family! It was heartbreaking for me to part with them... it's like I felt that kind of pain before and it hurts.

Q: So... when is the next chapter gonna be updated?

A: Probably tomorrow morning.

Q: Do you have anything to say?

A: Well... not really. I hope you visit me some other time tho, bye!

 _Okay, bye Akami-sama! Keep up the great work!_

Ahahaha, man I really like this review section. Especially Vanillapowpow, that person really helps me analyze each chapter's high and low points. Now... to continue reading DarkasCrimson's fanfic. What a beast, in a span of two days I'm already 8 chapters behind. A really good read BTW, if you guys are still here.


	27. Beginning of Something

I feel groggy and tired when I woke up this morning. We didn't get enough sleep last night due to the sudden passing of Akami-sama. Monika sat beside me with a quiet and sullen expression on her face. Yeah, watching someone die in front of our eyes seriously messed up our sleep. But to be honest, Akami-sama's death is a little bit anticlimactic. I place a hand on Monika's head and ruffle her brown hair. She let out an 'Eep' before recoiling in surprise.

" There is no use sulking in bed right now. Akami-sama would be disappointed if he knew that we got depressed over his death." My voice trembles as I speak. Monika let out a weak smile before sighing.

" You're right... There is no use worrying about the dead. We have other people to deal with right now." Monika says as she stands up. As she stretch her arms, I glance at her breasts. Her pajamas are thin enough that I could see the blue bra that she is wearing.

" Hmm? You want to play with them, Yoku? Ahaha~" Monika tease as I begin to get flustered. Her playful laughter sorta help me feel better.

" Maybe... Anyways, let's get downstairs to eat breakfast." I stand up and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Her face turning a slight shade of red at my gesture.

We got out of my room and head downstairs. We stop as we reach the last step due to the sound of sobbing in the room. The sobbing is silent and muffled, yet we could feel the pain this person is in. I take a look and see that it was Maido, sitting on the sofa and holding a picture of Akami-sama with Sayori and Natsuki in the park. Monika and I look at each other, her emerald green eyes glance at the crying blonde girl on the sofa, signifying that we should comfort her. I nod and take her arm, quickly closing the distance between us and the crying Maido. She notices our footsteps and quickly wipes away the tears from her face.

" S-Sorry... Did I bother you guys?" Maido says as she lets out a pained smile.

" Anyway, Akami-sama left this letter for you, and gift." Maido hands us a small brown piece of paper and an ornate and expensive looking pen. Her hands are shaking as she hands us the items.

" Maido... Are you ok? Do you need to talk? We're willing to listen to whatever you say." Monika says as she takes the letter and places it in her pocket.

Suddenly, Maido tightly squeezes me and wails on my shoulder. The girl's cries is filled with pain and anguish. She clenches my shirt as she lets out the strong emotions that she is feeling. She is crying nonstop like a waterfall. Monika and I gave her a warm and comforting embrace. We stand quietly as the girl cries out her eyes and empties her heart that is full of sorrow.

" Akami*hic* -sama! *sob* Why?! Why am I feeling... this sorrow?!" Monika and I pat her back as she cries on my chest. A spot on it is now wet and damp due to the girl's tears.

" You haven't felt this great of a sadness yet, haven't you..." I whisper to Maido. She stops crying for a moment to look at me.

" The pain of losing someone you love is really, REALLY painful. Trust me, I know..." I clench my chest, the pain of that memory resonates throughout my body.

" I've felt this before, whenever Akami-sama goes away for a long time... I feel sadness and loneliness. But I am always assured that he would always return... But this time, it's different. He isn't coming back... AAAaaaAAaaarrrghh!!!" Maido falls to the floor and weeps. Tears crash all around her as she express the great sadness she is feeling. Out of symphaty, I give her a hug.

" I know... I felt the same way with my dad too. It's painful isn't it? The pain when you lose someone that always returns to your side. But you know... sometimes we just have to deal with it and move forward." I say to her in a comforting manner. She pause for a moment, her tears finally slowing down. Her embrace becomes tighter as her tears stop falling.

" H-How did you deal with it?" She asks weakly. Her body slightly trembling and her hands clenching harder at my shirt.

" I always imagined what he would say when he saw me crying for him. My dad would be probably tease me and make me cry harder if he sees me crying. Haha, that old man of mine really is a joker... He even said on the morning of his death that I should keep his dinner warm. What a prick..." I could feel something damp trickling down my cheek as well. I touch it and see that it is tears, I am crying.

" That's... a pretty good advice... But, I never really saw Akami-sama as a master. I saw him more as a younger brother that always needed help. But I believe that advice would also work well, so thank you..." Maido pulls from the embrace and bows at Monika and me.

" I feel a little bit better now. It may take a while, but I believe I would be able to move on. Still, thank you for your concern... I appreciate it." Maido smiles as she stands straight. She wipes away the last drop of tear on her face and heads to the kitchen.

" Maido, you do-"

" Cooking helps calm my nerves. So please don't fret, Yoku. Relax and examine the letter." Maido said warmly as she begins to make our breakfast.

Monika and I sat down and begin to read the contents of the letter. The messy handwriting on it is definitely Akami-sama's. It is a short letter addressed to me.

 _To Yoku,_

 _I left you a fortune of 10 million dollars. Now that I think about it, it might cause you some problems. Therefore, I have decided to split it up between you five! Each of you will receive 2 million dollars as inheritance. All of you in the literature club will receive the money after you graduate. But in order to for you to receive this, you must first save all of the girls. I hope you understand._

 _Best wishes,_

 _Akami-sama_

 _PS:_

 _Be creative with that pen!_

This god, he really wants to help others, huh? I put the letter away and examine the pen. It seems to be a normal pen, no... it _is_ a normal pen. The pen has a black coating with colorful floral designs running throughout it's entirety. The cap has a dragon's head that glimmers due to it's golden hue. The pen is well balanced and the handle has a nice feel to it. I feel that I'm holding a great sword in my hands right now. I unsheathe the pen and look at ballpoint end. It has tip size of .7 and it writes pretty well. I place the pen in my bag and begin to ponder, what did he mean when he said 'be creative' with this? I hear Maido call out to us while I am busy thinking about my next plan. We got up and head towards the dining room.

" Since everyone in this house is vegetarian, I made some omelette rice for you two with a tofu substitute instead of ground pork. I'll head over to Sayori's house to inform them of breakfast." Maido smiles sweetly as she walks away. Looking at the way she walks, you might think that she is a small child in a costume.

She left the house and Monika and I sat beside each other, eating the hot breakfast that Miado made. It's really delicious, and heavy on the stomach! Looks like this might fill my stomach for a while. Suddenly, the door opens and a bright atmosphere of cheerfulness seem to accompany it. I stand up to greet the

" Akami-sa- ... Oh, Hi Sayori! You hungry?" I have a sort of dissapointed expression on my face. Sayori notices this and smiles warmly. Suddenly, she tries to speak in a deeper yet still girly tone.

" Ehehe~ Yoku! Move over, I'm hungry and I'm gonna eat everything in your fridge! Ahaha, now where are the young girls that I like so much? Hehehe... How is that? Is my impression of Akami-sensei good?" She cheerfully says as she takes a sit in front of me.

" Nah... I'm pretty sure he would deny that he is a lolicon, and I'm pretty sure he won't say that he is gonna eat all of my food. He'd probably go ahead and start eating and laughing." I laugh loudly as I recall the past two weeks. Sayori chuckles as well. The door opens and Maido enters with a sour Natsuki. I see that Maido is carrying NyanNyan in her arms, the small kitten purring loudly as she rubs it.

" Hey... what's the matter?" Monika asks as she looks at Natsuki, who simply pouts and walks over to the table loudly.

" She is just angry that no one woke her up this morning. Akami-sama usually wakes her up by opening the curtains widely." Sayori says as she digs into the omurice.

" N-No! I'm just... mad that... erm... it doesn't fit me... anymore..." Natsuki is flustered and red. It took me a second but I manage to figure out what she is saying.

" Oh! I see, then why don't you girls go and have fun later while you do some shopping. Does that sound good?" Natsuki's face turns into a bright shade of pink as she covers her modest chest.

" Hahaha, even if I keep staring at them, I'm pretty sure they won't grow." I say as I take a bite of my omurice.

" P-PERV! GO CHOKE AND DIE NOW!" Natsuki shrieks at me as she covers her body with her hands.

" Yoku! You meanie! You can't just say that to a girl!" Sayori pouts while looking at me with an angry face.

" Ahaha~ Well he is right... but still! Yoku! That's mean of you." Monika pouts at me while trying to keep in her smile.

"..." Maido stays quiet as she eats her food.

We finish eating our breakfast and we once again, did our daily routine. Shower, put on our uniforms, say goodbye to Maido and NyanNyan and walk towards the school. The four of us head out together, talking happily and walking cheerfully. I remember the times when Sayori and I walk alone together, thankfully that has changed for the better. The morning route towards our school is much more livelier and Sayori seems to be enjoying it more. The four of us continue to talk about the haggard and tiring school festival and how fun it was. We reach the school gates 10 minutes before the bell rang, so we all decide to eat some snacks from the cafeteria. As we walk trough the hallway leading towards the cafeteria, we see a group of girls huddled together near the girl's comfort room. They seem to be picking on someone, laughing and taunting at the poor girl. Natsuki doesn't want to be a part of this so she decides to press forward, then we heard it.

" You fucking edgy slut! I bet you're cutting yourself this early in the morning, huh?" The blonde girl that seems to be the alpha bitch of the group said out loud. We turn around and see a lock of deep purple hair in the center of the huddle. Yuri, Yuri is being picked on and we just passed by her.

" Damn nerd, you keep trying to act smart, but I bet you just use that big tits you have to lure in the boys." Another one of the girls said out loud before breaking into laughter.

" You may act all smart and sophisticated, but deep down, you're nothing more but an edgy, self harming bitch." The alpha bitch said before grabbing hold of Yuri's collar.

" N-no... I... I... It's not like that..."

" Hey! It's not nice to gang up on someone! Go pick on someone your own size!" Before I knew it, Natsuki is gone from our side and is now defending Yuri. Yuri had a relieved smile on her face, but the group of girls shot Natsuki an annoyed glare.

" Is this shrimp a friend of yours, Yuri?" The blonde girl shoves Yuri aside and looks down at the smaller Natsuki.

" Yeah, what are you gonna do about it, You dumb bitch?" Natsuki has a smug look on her face. I could see a vein popping in the girl's head.

" You little brat, I'll show you what happens to little shits like you!" The girl is about to slap Natsuki, who is prepared to throw a punch. I dash towards Natsuki and blocked the slap with my arm.

" Now, now... I don't think we should all fight so early in the morning. Look, I'm hungry, and you guys are in my damn way." I say as the girl pulls back her hand and clicks her tongue.

A moment of silence happens between us. Monika glares at the group while Sayori tries to pull me away from them. The bell rings loudly throughout the school and I am relieved that this encounter is finally finished.

" Tsk, what a kill joy... let's just go!" She shouts as she shoves Yuri aside and walks away in the opposite direction. I shake my head and slightly flick my finger on Natsuki's forehead.

" Wait for my instructions before doing something reckless like that! Geez, you could have gotten hurt." I say to Natsuki as I pick up Yuri's books on the floor.

" T-Thank you..." Yuri says as she wipes away some of her tears.

" Don't mention it. Besides, it was Natsuki here who decided to act first." I hand her the books while glancing at Natsuki. Natsuki is gritting her teeth as she look at the group.

" Natsuki, just ignore them... it's time to go to our classrooms." I say as I help Yuri up, her legs are shivering and her arms are trembling in fear.

" You guys go on ahead. I'll walk Yuri to her room to prevent anymore... incidents." Monika says as she takes the books from Yuri's arms. She gives Yuri a smile and they proceed to walk away from us.

" Now... Why don't we all go ahead and forget this whole thing that just happened, okay?" I try to take the lead and get the girls to walk to their classrooms, but they were shaken by what just happened so I had a hard time calming them down. Especially Natsuki, she is fuming right now.

" If Akami-sensei was here, that wouldn't have happened..." Natsuki murmured as she begins to walk.

" B-But I'm sure Yoku could still protect us, right?" Sayori tries her best to say something reassuring to Natsuki. I simply pat her head and smile at them, before raising a thumb and pointing it towards my chest.

" Hahaha, that's right! No meanie or bully can threaten you guys as long as I'm here! After all, Akami-sensei placed his trust in me." I say confidently, to hide the fear and anger swelling up in me.

" You see, Natsuki! Yoku would be able to defend us from those kinds of people." Sayori says as she pats my back. Natsuki looks at me and scoffs.

" If I get picked on in the future and you don't come and save me... I'll kill you myself, idiot... So you better come and sweep me off my feet when that happens, okay?!" Natsuki huffs out for a moment, before giggling. It seems not even this tsundere can keep her feelings hidden.

We all head towards out classrooms and we begin our mundane day. The classes are boring and uninteresting, but it seems the topics we are discussing is easier than I thought. As lunch time nears, I think back on the incidents that once plagued my life. The days when I alienated myself and felt alone due to the constant fear of everyone. The times when I have no one to call friends, and the only people I consider my family is far away. I hate those days, and I hope I can show Yuri the joy I felt when I found my way out of that pit. It's funny, it seems as though all of it started on the day that he died.


	28. Something Horrible

I sit on my desk, watching my classmates leave the room to eat. Silence, an old friend whose company I have come to enjoy over the years. I look outside the window, the falling leaves of the green trees and the fairly cloudy day today reminds me of that time when I was around 5 years old.

 **Flashback Starts**

" Dad! You better get home today early, or you won't taste the sandwich I'm gonna make for you."

I say as I embrace my dad's legs. He is wearing his police uniform, something I have grown to respect.

" Ahaha, sure son! I promise I'll be back later, after I go beat up some bad guys. Ahaha!"

My dad laughs as he rustles my hair and kisses my mom.

But after that, he never came back. A shoot out happened near his post, and he died while blocking the shots of the shooter to save 10 children. It was said that his last words were 'Damn, I really wanted to taste my son's cooking'. My mom never really handled this well, and little by little, she lost her sanity. A few months after that, my two siblings graduated from college and left for France and America to study Culinary Arts and Computer Science.

My mom and I lived together for a while. When I was around 7 years old, she finally lost it. Her abuse started out mildly, she merely threw out insults or just act coldly towards me. After that, it worsened, it got to the point where she abused me both mentally, emotionally and physically. Due to this, I have a hard time developing friends due to the constant belittling of my self-confidence. I became a loner, fearing that the people I care about my turn into my mom once I do something wrong. Because of this, I was constantly picked on and bullied at school due to my lack of defense. During highschool, it was regular for me to get beat up in school and at home. My depression got severely out of hand at this time, and I seriously thought about killing myself to end all of this. But on the brink of me ending my own life, she appears before me in the form of a phone call. A girl named Erina, a smart, good-natured, beautiful girl to which I owe my life. The simple invitation of hers for me to come and join her in the Anime Club. The simple action like that stopped me from doing something I would regret.

I learned a lot from her, made new friends due to the club and I manage to feel hope for myself. It was trough her that I managed to learn some self-defense against the bullies in my school. She helped me rebuild the shattered confidence I have and because of that, I managed to get myself out of the pit that I've trying to claw out off alone. I think she is my inspiration everytime I see this girls, I want to help them out just like how she helped me out of that hell.

 **Flashback Ends**

A sudden thud on my table brought me back into reality. I look around and see that it is only Sayori sitting on my table. She is pouting at me as she taps her finger on my desk.

" You said that you're gonna pick me up in the classroom for lunch..."

Sayori said as she looks out of the window.

" Sorry, sorry. I was daydreaming earlier. Anyway, how about the others? Where are they?"

I stand up and stretch my arms a little.

" Amy, Yosuke and Natsuki went ahead, Monika went to go fetch Yuri and I'm here to wake you up from your daydream."

Sayori chuckles as she gets off my desk. I shake my head and chuckle as well.

We get out of my classroom and begin walking towards the cafeteria. The hallways are a little cramped due to the large amount of people making their way towards the cafeteria in groups. Suddenly, Sayori tugs my blazer, causing me to look at her.

" Uhm, Yoku... why do you think those girls are picking on Yuri? Did Yuri do something wrong?"

Sayori asks as we begin to walk slower. I let out a sigh and slightly shake my head.

" Sometimes, having great... "assets" brings some bad attention towards you. And being a loner will not help you escape the attention of people like that."

I say as we walk slowly.

" Humans are social animals, and as such, they hunt for the weakest members of society in groups. People who are blessed with traits such as a nice figure and a great mind yet have chosen to follow a solitary path will surely be picked on. That is the problem with people, if you do not have some group you belong to, you are a prime target for the bad people."

Sayori seems lost for words as we arrive at the cafeteria. I look around and see Natsuki waving at us.

We walk over towards their table to see that the whole gang is there. Sayori takes a sit beside Natsuki, who is stuffing her face with the Yakisoba she bought. Everyone is already eating their lunch so I decide to buy Sayori and I some food. I bought two bento meals along with some juice. I look around and notice the group of girls from earlier and what appears to be some jocks staring at me. I shrug it off and went back to the table quickly. I decide not to tell anyone about this and begin to eat my lunch. Our chat basically revolves around stuff that you would expect from a group of friends, School, romance, stuff about life, etcetera. Out of nowhere, Natsuki brings up my relationship with Monika. Everyone's eyes widen and look at us, causing the two of us to blush and stutter awkwardly.

" N-No! It's not what... erm... We aren't a couple..."

I play with my fingers as I mutter out those lies.

[ Should I play along? That kinda hurt ya know...]

[Yes] [No]

This boxes appear in my head as Monika gave me a confused stare. I discreetly mouth 'yes' at her and she let out a mischievous smile.

"Monika... no..."

I whisper to her as she pretends to deny the allegation towards us.

" Hmm, yeah... we're not a couple..."

Monika says in dismay. Sayori looks shocked at this while Yuri seems relieved at her words.

" ...Yet. I was planning on confessing to him later. But you know, stuff like this happens. Teehee~"

Monika clings to my arm as she lets out a smile like that of a child holding her favorite toy. Yuri snaps her chopsticks and glares at us with a gaze full of bloodlust. The table became silent as our eyes turn towards Yuri, who is clearly angry. Then, she went back to normal after a moment.

" Really? I didn't know the club president have a taste for guys like Yoku. What a surprising revelation that I accidentally broke my chopsticks. Thankfully I brought a spare in case this happens."

Yuri laughs as she pulls out a spare from her pocket.

" I... I was just joking... Right Sayori?"

Monika says as she lets go of my arm and winks at Sayori. The airhead ponders for a while before catching on with the farce.

" Y-Yes, of course! What kind of person would fall for a guy like Yoku! A person that spends most of their time inside their house and doing weird stuff."

Sayori winks at me and nudges my arm before leaning closer.

" _Your secret is safe with me."_

She whispers quietly at me.

" Yeah, Yuri, the way you just reacted earlier would make me think you have a crush on this huge idiot infront of me. Do you?"

Natsuki asks as she slurps down the last of her noodles. Yuri's face lights up and her hands begin to shake.

" W-What?! Don't be ridiculous, Natsuki. How could I fall for someone of his... caliber. Average looking, kind, good-natured, smart... _intoxicating, delicious..._ "

Yuri mutters something near the end that is hard to hear due to how quietly she speaks. Natsuki justs shakes her head at Yuri.

" Anyways, Yoku! How is the manga doing?"

Amy pipes up as she finishes eating her meal. I am glad she changed the subject just as things seem to get awkward.

" Great! I think I've already finished the first chapter. Want to see it?"

I ask the couple, their eyes light up at my words.

" Really?! T-Then can we see it later at the club room?"

Yosuke asks as they look at me with a wild smile on their faces.

" Sure, sure."

I respond just as the bell rings throughout the cafeteria. Lunch time is over and we all have to go back to our classrooms.

We all part ways and head towards our separate rooms. The rest of the day is uneventful and I just spent the next few hours looking outside of the damn window like some edgy protagonist from an anime. After dismissal time, I made my way towards the club. Something seems strange however, the halls are silent, too silent. Suddenly, four muscular and big bodied jocks and guys blocks my path. A giggle can be heard from inside the girl's comfort room. The girl from earlier today steps out and she gives me an irritated glance.

" I knew this little kill joy would end up walking trough here."

The blonde girl says in a condescending manner. Suddenly, two guys that are way bigger than me went up to me and cracks their knuckles.

" You know, I don't like it when someone stops me from having a fun time. I guess it's about time I show you what happens to people who do that."

Two of the guys went behind me and grabs my arms. Thankfully, I manage to perform a sweeping kick just before they locked their grip and throw the two to the ground.

" Tsk, what a pain. I may not leave unscathed, but I'm about to show you all that I'm an advocate of equality."

I say as I dust my blazer off before positioning myself in a stance. The blonde girl looks at me with an amused yet annoyed face.

" And why is that?"

She asks as the two guys get up from the ground and they surround me.

" Because whether you're a boy or a girl, as long as you decide to fight me, I won't fucking hold back."

The blonde's eyes widen in fear. She stammers backwards before pointing at me.

" Beat the living shit out of this prick!"

She yells before the four guys charge at me. Before any of us could throw a punch however, we hear someone cough from down the hall.

" What the hell do you think you are doing?"

I turn my head to see Monika and Sarah, side by side holding a phone and recording the scene. Monika has a smug look on her face while Sarah has an angry expression.

" The five of you will be coming with me. Yoku here would continue on with his club activities."

Sarah says as she walks up to the group and throws her thumb backwards.

" Now!"

She shouts at the blonde.

" How long have you two been watching?"

The blonde says as she folds her arms and taps her feet.

" Oh, ever since Monika here reported a bunch of shady looking people hanging around here. By the looks of it, you five are the aggressors."

Sarah then drags them off to the faculty. The group could be heard saying their alibis, but to no avail. Monika and I laugh as we begin to walk together towards the club.

" You know, sometimes I'm thankful I can see the game's logs and the whereabouts of the different NPC's that are running around."

She says as she giggles a bit. I chuckle to myself before shaking my head.

" How about Yuri? Have you seen her? Perhaps she is stalking me right now, ahahahaha."

The joke may be a bit harsh, but I'm pretty sure Yuri isn't around to hear it.

" Now that you mention it, I can't seem to find her anywhere. It seems the simulation is either hiding her or the map is broken."

" Well, I guess it's fine. Afterall, I'm pretty sure she is the first one to the club."

 **Somewhere outside the faculty.**

The blonde girl gets an earful from the damn teachers. Thankfully, she manages to slip away after some great acting. The others have to stay inside, so she decides to go ahead and go home. But as she turns towards the stair case, she sees a lock of purple hair disappearing from view and the sound of footsteps going down the stairs can be heard along with a faint giggle.

" Hoh? I guess I could still have a bit of fun after this damn day."

The blonde mutters to herself and runs after her target. But as she turns towards the staircase, she trips due to a piece of paper on the top of the staircase. She tumbles down towards the platform and she reels in pain due to her fall. She opens her eyes to see the purple haired girl pick up the piece of paper and puts it in her pocket. A smile is spread over her face and she walks down towards the terrified girl. A soft giggling can be heard from her, her eyes are filled with blood lust while her lips are curled into a terrifying grin. The blonde felt her blood ran cold as the girl leans downward at her. No words came out of her mouth when she tries to ask for forgiveness due to the pain and fear she is feeling.

" You know, I hate it when people tries to hurt the people I love. People like that..."

The purple haired girl wraps her fingers around the blonde's exposed neck. The fingers of the girl are freezing cold, yet you could feel the heat of anger from them. The blonde can now only whimper as the girl's smile widens.

" People like that... should be punished. Ahaha!"

The snapping of bones can be heard faintly. A few adjustments to the position of the body and a careful analysis of the scene in case of evidence is performed before the girl took off. From atop the stairs, it seems the blonde took a nasty fall from the top and broke her neck. That is what the scene suggests. As the girl ran off towards her club, she can't help but think that this could make a great horror story or a poem.


	29. Foreshadowing

Monika and I enter the classroom. One, two,three, four, five, six... Yuri is missing from the group. I sit down and went though my bag to find the pages of the manga that I've been drawing in my free time. I was about to give it to the two when Yuri enters the room, all fidgety as she closes the door. I place the papers down on the couple's desk.

" Sorry I won't be able to talk with you about the manga. I need to go over and talk with Yuri for a bit." I say as I watch Yuri take a sit in front. She shudders for a moment before taking a piece of paper from her bag.

" Okay. We'll just read the manga for a while." Amy says as they begin to read the manga which they wrote. Suddenly, Monika stands infront of the classroom and claps her hands to get our attention.

" Okay everyone! Since we have only been focusing on poems as a form of literature, why don't we spice things up a bit? Tomorrow, we are all gonna share short stories that we ourselves have written." Monika says with a cheerful voice.

But before any of us could react, a bloodcurdling scream can be heard from the silent hallways. We all stand in silence as the sound of running feet makes it way towards us. After a moment, a teacher bursts trough the door and calmly composes himself.

" Ehem... due to an accident, all students must go home right now." The teacher is sweating heavily, his hands are shivering and his walk is slow and shaky as he walks away.

Everyone immediately puts away their stuff and prepares to go home. I tell them to wait for me by the school gates as I take off my bag. I am the last one out of the room because I had to fix some of my things in my bag. I pass by Yuri's table to see a piece of paper, it has a poem on it. I look around and read quietly. It has no title and it seems to have been written in a rush.

 _The egg in the bird's nest_

 _slowly rots_

 _A fierce wind blows_

 _The branch sways_

 _A swift end_

 _to a problem child_

It didn't make sense to me, so I place it back on the table. I made my way out of the classroom and decide to drop by the faculty to look for Ms. Yuna. I want to ask her some things about Yuri's relationship with her classmates since she is her homeroom teacher. But as I near the stairs beside the faculty, I see a bunch of teachers huddled together. I got a closer look, but I am pushed aside by Ms. Yuna, who hightails it towards the women's comfort room. I wait outside the women's comfort room, hearing her vomit and sob inside. She gets out after a while, and sees me.

" Y-Yoku... Did you see it?!" She asks as she shakes ny shoulders. I shake my head side to side, and she lets out a sigh.

" Good... it would only scar you for life. If you need to talk to me, do it tomorrow. I... I still need to recover from... that." She stammers away as I walk in the opposite direction, intrigued by the commotion on the staircase. I

I see Monika, Natsuki and Sayori waiting by the school gates. They all have a worried look on their faces. I walk up to them and I wave at them. They smile weakly before we begin walking. They refuse to speak as we walk home. The silence is unbearable and uncomfortable, Monika of all people refuses to speak. After a while, I finally had it and I sigh loudly.

" Okay, it's about the accident isn't it?" I say as I place my hands in my pocket. They still stay silent, until Sayori speaks up

" The girl from earlier... the one that bullied Yuri... she's dead." I stop in shock at what I heard. No... it couldn't be. How?

" And Monika... well..."

" I don't think it's an accident." Monika says as she looks at me with a worried look in her green eyes.

" Let's go home for now. We don't want anyone to hear this." Natsuki says as she begins to quicken her pace.

We follow behind her and quickly made our way home. We reach my house within 3 minutes. But before I could open the door, a loud shriek can be heard from inside and a thud. I throw open the door and we rush to the source of the sound in the kitchen. Red, the floor is covered in red liquid, along with the body of Maido. Beside her is a knife with bloodstains. I quickly rush beside her, trying to find the spot where she has been stabbed. We all are scared shitless at the scene as Ilift up Maido. Sayori was about to call emergency services when Maido twitches and gets up. Her maid outfit is covered in squashed tomatoes and her face has a sad expression.

" Y-Yoku... I wasted the tomatoes you have bought with my clumsiness. Please punish me as you wish." She bows down at me and clenches her fist. I rustle her hair and let out a sigh.

" Your punishment, clean up this mess. Accidents happen but I know you won't accept that. So, go clean this up and cook us some dinner." Maido smiles and lifts her head. We chuckle a little bit before settling down in the living room. Monika sighs as she stands in front of us.

" Yuri, Yuri surely did it. She pushed off that girl from the stairs... probably." Monika says as she shakes her head and looks at me.

" No... I... I... She couldn't have done it! Could she?!" Sayori asks with a sad tone. Her face has a confused expression. I clench my fists and take a deep breath.

" Natsuki, I know that you know all about-"

" Of course I know all about her problems. But I can't believe she actually did something like this." Natsuki slams a fist down on the arm of the sofa. She bit her lower lip in anger.

" Yuri... looks like cutting herself doesn't give her that much of a thrill anymore, huh?" Natsuki says as she finally relaxes her fists and sighs. Monika shakes her head and points at me.

" I don't think it's about thrills anymore. I'm pretty sure, she found out what nearly happened with Yoku. About how he nearly got beat up the blonde's goons." Monika says as she takes a sit beside me. Everyone stares at me in shock at the revelation.

" I think... Yuri was compelled to exact revenge due to her obsession with Yoku. If the violence was directed at her, I'm sure she wouldn't have retaliated that violently... but since it is Yoku..."

" She felt that she needed to do something about it so it won't happen again." Natsuki finishes Monika's explanation.

" Wait... YURI LIKES YOKU?!" Sayori shouts out as she looks at Monika, then me.

" Yes, but I don't think she knows how to express it properly." Monika says as she sighs in dismay.

" Due to her constant alienation from society, she doesn't have a good grasp about her feelings and how to show them properly. That is why she keeps showing that sophisticated side of hers, it's what she learned from her books on how to socialize with others." Monika says as she clings to my arm.

" Anyway, I don't think it's safe for you guys to hang around me in the next few days. I'll try to help her express those feelings of hers and I believe that any sort of affection shown towards me may be negatively received by her." I say as I look at the three. They look at each other before nodding.

" That might be hard... But we'll try!" Natsuki and Sayori said in unison. I smile and I look at Monika, who is busy nuzzling her head on my arm. I flick her softly on the forehead.

" That includes you, Monika." I say as I pull away gently from her. She pouts at this gesture.

" Fine~ I'll only stop because Yuri might show me just how edgy she can be. Ahaha~" Monika laughs as she gets up and stretches her arms. Suddenly, she stops moving and begins to chuckle.

" _I'm in my true home right now, you damn psycho."_ Monika mutters to herself as she looks at the kitchen. We look at the dining room to see Maido preparing the table.

" Let's continue this talk later. Let's eat!" I sy as I get up and dash towards the table.

 **Somewhere near Monika's old house.** " Damn it, she isn't here." The tall girls mutters to herself quietly. Her blue knife glimmering under the moon's light.

She walks away and pulls out her phone, looking at a list with the names of a few people.

" Damn bitch, of all the things to steal from me, she stole him! Tsk, I'll get her eventually." The girl mutters silently as she looks at one of the names.

" The cinnamon bun must be eliminated. Her status as a childhood friend is a hindrance to our relationship. Another day, perhaps? Ahahahaha." She puts her phone away and begins to walk slowly trough the dark night. Her long, purple hair fluttering behind her as the breeze blows.

 **Yoku's House**

We eat Maido's spaghetti with her homemade tomato sauce. It is a delicious meal worthy of Akami-sama's praise. Yet, even as the table is filled with our cheerful laughter and noisy chats, it feels like something is missing. I look at the empty seat at the end of the table, the spot where Akami-sama usually plops himself down. I got used to the damn god suddenly appearing and eating our food whenever he pleases. I shrug it off and try not to let this feelings show to everyone. We continue to eat together for at least an hour before we finally finished all of our food.

Everyone went home and I decide to take a shower as Maido cleans the dishes. After I finish, I put on my pajamas and went inside my room. Monika is in there, looking frustrated as she examines the game files. I sit beside her and also decide to take a quick look.

" This... This doesn't make sense! How could the game still continue with Act 2 when we saved Sayori and Natsuki?!" She says as she rubs her head in anger.

" Wait a minute, didn't... Act 2 end when, Yuri killed herself? Maybe, we need to save her before she decides to kill herself." I say as I rest my head on some pillows.

" You're right... but... the game, it's still glitching. It seems when it comes to Yuri, the game is becoming more glitchy since she is the main focus of the arc and therefore, is the prime target for me." Monika says as she goes trough the game files once more. I pick up the notebook to look at the logs. Ever since the pocket dimension collapsed and got out of it, it hasn't worked at all.

" God damn it! It seems I can't do anything against the damn game. I did nothing with Yuri's file yet her violence level just shot up. Yoku, you need to fix this quickly." Monik says as she rests beside me.

" Fine, give me two days to spend some time with her... on Thursday, I'll try to rejecting her early, but if it doesn't work, guess I'll just do something about her before the weekends." I say as I cuddle up to Monika.

" Then, I have faith in you... but promise. me you won't do something bad with her, okay?!" She huffs out as she hugs me.

" Sure, sure... anyways, let's go to sleep. I'm tired." I say as I look at the spare notebook on my desk. Perhaps I should record the progress I make with Yuri starting tomorrow.

( **Tuesday** , **4:40pm, clubroom)**

Club Journal Entry#1

I took a sit beside Yuri, since I promised her earlier that I would read with her. Monika occupied Natsuki and Sayori, yet they watch us closely to see if anything might happen. Using my knowledge of the game, I just did what the MC did during the Yuri route. Read her the short stories we wrote and vice versa, feed her some chocolates, talk from time to time. At one point, she tries to talk, but the changes her mind. Ughh... so close. Perhaps tomorrow.

( **Wednesday, 4:57 pm, club room)**

Club Journal Entry#2

Today seems promising. I managed to get her to talk with me about her self harm issues. She seems to enjoy me listening to her as she vents out some of her problems. As we read, I can feel her glance at me from time to time. I'm a bit proud that I manage to slightly get her out of her shell. She says she has something important to tell me tomorrow. Progress has been made.


	30. Secrets

**(Thursday Morning, 5:30 am)**

Two days have gone by in a flash since that accident occurred. No interesting development has happened in the span of those two days, perhaps the most interesting moment is when Yuri asked me about mental illnesses like self-harm and violent tendencies but she brushed it off and basically ended any chance of me talking about her problems. Thankfully, she wants to talk with me more today about those kinds of stuff.

I look at my alarm clock, it's still 5:30 in the morning. Monika lay beside me and her arms are intertwined with mine. A peaceful smile is spread across her face, I'm careful not to wake her up since it's so cute! I kiss her softly on her forehead, she let out a soft whimper but went back to sleep. I get out of my room and begin to make my way to the basement that Akami-sama made a few days ago. But before I could open the door, Maido stops me. Her steely gaze causes me to shiver a little bit. Her grasp on my shoulder implies that I'm about to trespass some sort of sacred place for her.

" What do you need, Yoku? If you need knowledge, please ask me. I have memorized all books Akami-sama has collected." She said as she lets go of my hand and gestures toward the sofa. A tray with two cups of hot tea sitting atop the coffeetable. I smile and we both take a seat.

" Okay then, how do you deal with a psychopath having a crush on you?" I ask as I take a sip from my tea. She ponders for a while before giving an answer.

" Knowing you, I'd deal with girls like that by putting my foot down and letting her know that you don't see her as a lover." I nearly spat out my tea at her response.

" What the- Why?! Won't that put you and everyone in danger?!" I say with a baffled and curious tone.

" Well, I believe that won't be dangerous. Since the girl may be violent because of her obsession with you, she may break down once she finds out her efforts are for naught-"

" You're not helping." I cut off Maido, her words are placing heavy guilt on my heart.

" Well, suit yourself. It's better to comfort a broken hearted girl than suffering from the consequences of your inaction." Maido says as she sips the tea.

" Gee, thanks mom!" I say sarcastically at Maido.

" Hey! I'm still young you know! 27 billion years in god years is just 14." Maido says as she lets out a giggle.

" Grannie." I said with a smirk on my face. She fumes at this.

" Brat." She huffs out. A moment of silence is shared before we burst out laughing.

" Anyways, I've reheated the pasta, readied your clothes and readied your bath. Oh, and I think Natsuki still hasn't bought new pairs of underwear." The last part causes me to tense up. I forgot... I didn't allow Natsuki or the others to leave the house during sunset or night time. I think it was Tuesday evening when I implemented that rule.

 **Flashback Starts**

"Ok, so you guys are probably wondering why I made everyone to run here from school and why I didn't permit Natsuki from going shopping." I say as we all huddle together in the living room.

" T-T-That's right! You damn jerk, you better give me a good reason not to beat the shit out of you right now! I've been enduring this damn bras that are now a size too small for me!" Natsuki shouts out as she covers her chest. A quick glance and one could easily tell that she took off her bra the moment she got home.

" Hah, one word... Yuri. Not the damn lesbian kind of Yuri, so put away the "Citrus" manga I just bought, Natsuki! I'm talking about the one in the literature club." I said out loud as I look at Natsuki. She puts away the bag that I bought earlier before going home.

" With her... problem, I think you have all been marked as some sort of 'rival'. Going out even as a group is really dangerous now. For now, why don't you wear the ones Monika gave you yesterday." I smile at Monika, knowing those were new and fresh pairs due to her coding it into the game.

" F-Fine! Anyway, how will you even deal with her?! Do you know just how dangerous she is to herself and you?!" Natsuki pouts as she tries to hide her worries.

" He's Yoku for damn sake! If he can save the two of us, then I believe he can save Yuri as well!" Sayori says optimistically. Her energetic and hopeful smile calms Natsuki down a little.

" Yup! Darling here would surely help Yuri with her problems, right?" Monika hugs my arm and snuggles against me. I smile and at her head a little. Lately, she has been more clingy and territorial when it comes to me. She's just probably saying to Yuri that she owns me and that she should take a hint.

" Ugh... Get a room! It's disgusting seeing you two act lovey-dovey with each other. Anyways, let's eat! I'm starving!" Natsuki dashes off to the table as Maido places the vegetable curry on the table along with some fried chicken for the girls.

 **Flashback Ends.**

A soft kiss pulls me back to reality. Green eyes gaze deeply into my own, brown hair served as the curtain to separate my view from the rest of the world. Monika smiles sweetly as I cup her cheek.

" Did we wake you up?" I ask with a soft and warm tone as I kiss her cheek.

" Nah, I was woken up by the lack of warmth from the pillow beside me. Anyway, why don't you call the girls so we could eat. Muah~" Monika kisses my cheek and pulls away from me. I nod and I immediately follow her command.

I left the house and went over to Sayori's. Before I could enter, I could hear the sound of a guitar being played in a sweet melody, a flute being played in an upbeat tune and a kitten meowing cheerfully. I enter the house to see Natsuki, Sayori and NyanNyan on the floor and playing music. They stop in surprise as I lean on the door way.

" Hehe, that's a nice little band you got there. Food's ready, you guys go finish up your song if you want to." Before they can say anything, I close the door behind me and leave them be.

I turn around and begin heading home when the door flies open and Natsuki and Sayori comes rushing out whilst carrying NyanNyan. They immediately run ahead of me and dash towards the house that is filled with food. This is a morning routine that I've grown fond off, and deep down in my heart, I hope this doesn't change at all.

 **( Thursday Morning, 7:40 am)**

After the usual routine in the morning, we arrive at school twenty minutes before the bell rings. I separate from the group as I head towards my classroom, but out of the corner of my eye, I see a young teacher runningrunning towards me. I turn around to see Miss Yuna catching up to me amd smiling.

" Yoku! There you are! Sorry if I haven't been able to talk to you... anyways, I have something important to tell you." She pauses for a moment and starts scanning the area for someone, before looking back at me.

" No... it's too dangerous here. I'll just go to your house later, okay?" Miss Yuna says with a worried and scared tone.

" Whatever you do, stay safe. I feel some sort of foreshadowing or a red flag when doing this. You know, like those in anime. Bye Yoku." Miss Yuna pats me on the shoulder before leaving. I am confused by what she said, but I still continue to my classroom.

The day passed by like the other days, except this time, I didn't spend lunch time with the others. I told them in advance that I'd be spending lunch alone with my thoughts. I look outside the clear window beside me. I could see the tennis court from here and on it a bunch of people are having a match. Beside it is the covered court on which a group of friends is playing basketball and having fun. I smile as I look at the youthful scene. I look back at my phone and continue to write something on it.

After dismissal time, I was about to head to Sayori's room when I received a call from Monika.

" Hey!~ Sorry Yoku, Sayori and Natsuki would be going with me to the mall today. We'll be skipping club for today and you'll be in charge for now. Anyways, you better not do something with Yuri! Thanks, bye!" The phone clicks and the call ended. Man, Monika is a handful sometimes. I walk to the club room and open it's doors.

Amy and Yosuke aren't here... oh right! Those two were sent on an errand by the teachers, so that means... I look around the dimly lit room and find Yuri sitting in a lone chair and reading her book.She does not notice me as I place my stuff down on the table beside her. She only notices my presence when I sit beside her. Her face turns red as she gets flustered. It seems having me in such a close distance causes her to lose her composure.

" Hi! Mind if I continue reading with you?" I ask nicely as I lean closer to her. Her hands shake as she begins to mutter something.

" Y-Y-YES! I... I appreciate it..." She smiles sweetly as she shows me the pages.

We begin to read in silence, just like the past few days. We read in silence, Yuri constantly glancing at me before turning the pages. The room is empty so we could hear the sounds of our own breathing. Yuri's breathing is now getting faster and her heart beats quicken. From time to time, she would open her mouth to speak but no words would come out. A few more minutes of this happening and I finally address the issue.

" Yuri, if you want to say something, please say it. I know you've been wanting to get something off of your chest." I say as I finally look her in the eyes. Her violet eyes dart away from my concerned gaze.

" Its... about my hobby... my guilty pleasure..." Yuri timidly says as she turns her head away from me and curl a strand of her hair in her fingers.

" Hmm? Why? Is it something bad? Do you... want to show it to me?" I try to say in an empathetic manner. This is it, the moment that I've dreaded yet prepared for.

" If... If... If I show it to you, promise me you won't leave me." Yuri says with a sad voice. A moment of silence fills the room, Yuri hesitates at first as she places her hand on her sleeve.

Yuri took a deep breath, then begins to fold the sleeve of her blazer. A bloody bandage covers the entirety of her arm from the wrist up. I sit there silently, taking the entire scene in. She then begins to take off the bandages, revealing deep scars that gets bigger the farther up you look. Yuri is holding back her tears, for her, this is like showing your naked body to someone. The courage needed to confess something like this is colossal, yet here she is, undoing the bandages that she has been using to hide her secrets. Finally, she stops undoing the bandages and places her arm on the table.

" Remember when I told you that I'm infatuated with knives? How I have kept knives as a collection and a hobby? This... This is the reason..." She says with a faltering voice.

I say nothing and continue to stare at the scars that run up and down her arm. A few of them are still fresh, yet most of them have already healed. Yuri must've thought I am judging her and being repulsed by her due to my silence and blank stare. She begins to cry and tears slowly streams down her face.

" Am... Am I horrible? This, this... I know it's disgusting to look a-"

" Geez, a cut is still bleeding, you idiot! Hold on!" I said as I stand up and dash towards the closet. I grab the small first aid kit inside and made my way over to her.

" And stop misunderstanding me. My silence doesn't mean I'm judging you, it means I'm taking in this enormous pile of information you just dumped on me and I'm currently processing it in my mind." I say as I take a sit and hold her arm. She lets out an 'Eep' at the sudden contact.

" Hmm, we need to disinfect this. Hold still, this might sting a little." I begin to take out some disinfectant and swabbing the area. She winces at the slight pain this brought.

" You... You don't... hate me? Shouldn't you leave some... freak like me behind?" Yuri wipes away some of her tears with her free hand. I shake my head and let out a sigh.

" Why would I hate you? You're my friend, and as I see it, you need some help withwith your problems." I finish cleaning the cut on her wrist. I then begin to cover it with bandages.

" Besides, if I am not able to help you, I would've failed as a friend... There! All done! Ehehe~" I pull away my hands and show her the fresh bandage that is covering her wound.

" Yoku... T-Thank you... I... I..." Before Yuri could even finish, she begins to cry.

" You know, you really need a new way to vent out your... hold on... I've got an idea!" I said before rummaging trough the contents of my bag. Akami-sama, let me show you what being creative is.

" Yuri, give me your hand." I say as I wipe away a tear from her face.

" W-Why?" She asks as she shows me her arm.

" I'll show you a trick... Everytime you feel the urge to cut yourself, why don't you do this instead." I gently hold her hand and run the pen across her wrist. Black ink can be seen in the midst of all her scars.

" Huh? Heh?" She looks at the marking on her arm. The black line now dripping slightly due to the ink.

" Instead of cutting yourself, why not writing a line on it instead, okay? The moment I see a new cut on your arm, I'll be sure to scold you for it... okay?" I say as I stand up and look at her.

" Don't... make me worry about you... I don't want to see anyone get hurt anymore... okay? If you need help with this, I'm not gonna turn you down... okay?" I smile weakly as I pat her head. Yuri stares intently at me, her glistening, violet eyes giving me a look of happiness and... lust?

" Yoku... Thank you... I'll... I'll treasure this pen for the rest of my life!" She says as she firmly holds my hands.

" But you know... I also think it's time you should reveal some of _your_ secrets, Yoku~" Her cold empty eyes are now transfixed on me. Her breath is now quickening. Her grip is tightening.

" I already know, Yoku... about you and Monika..." She says as she stands up, frowning at me.

" Uhm... Uhhh..." I say as I try to pull away my hand from her.

" I know... about how **obsessed** she is with you! Tell me, have you answered her yet?" She has a grin on her face, a terrifying grin. Damn it... If I say anything she doesn't like, she may do something horrible here... Fuck! Monika, Akami-sama... I need help.

[ Just say no. For your sake... Let's just deal with this later.]

 _Monika! Man, what a pain! It's like lying about us... Ugh, forget it! Ahhh fuck!_

" Yuri! No! I haven't given her an answer yet, so please! Let go of my arm!" I say as I yank away my wrist from her grasp. This pulls her out of her trance and immediately, she begins to stammer.

" I'm... I'm... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... Ah... I'll just leave!" She sys as she quickly takes her bag and book and dashing out of the room.

I let out a sigh and I take my stuff. I close the door behind me as I leave and I begin to think about the shit I have to deal with tomorrow. I was walking in a fast pace quietly, deep in my thoughts when I bump into someone. Man, I wish I bumped into a girl, it would make the impact less forceful. Wait a minute, I look up and saw that it was Miss Yuna... covering her chest.

" Oh, uhm... err... I apolog-"

" N-No! It's my fault, I wasn't looking to where I'm going... Ehehe." She says as she relaxes and rubs her head.

" Anyways, let's get going?" She says as she dangles her car keys infront of me. I nod in response and we begin to walk trough the corridors.

" Yoku... It's about Yuri, and her family." She says after a long moment of silence between us.

" What?! Why? Did-"

" Ssssshh!!! She might be following you... keep it down." She cuts me off and she begins to quicken her pace.

" I'll continue in the car and at your place, but for now, let me just say... We might be dealing with a top-tier Yandere. Why? Well let me just say, Yuri may not even be her real name."


	31. Revelation

We walk in silence as I took in the words of Miss Yuna. Those chilling words shook me to my very core.

" W-What do you mean... she isn't 'Yuri'!?" I ask with a confused tone.

" I... I did some digging around and-"

We hear a raven 'caw' from outside. What a random interruption, I must say. We shake our heads and begin to walk again. We decide to talk about Yuri's identity later in the car. We walk together side by side, our footsteps in sync. I've never really seen Miss Yuna this close before. Her hazelnut hair pairs well with her pale, white skin that seems soft to the touch. Her body might look like that of a girl in her adolescence due to her small frame, but I know that she is somewhere around 25-30, a pretty mature woman... wait, did I just have obscene thoughts about a teacher?! My damn hormone filled body is making my head go wild. I shake off this thought when we finally see the exit that leads to the school parking lot. Only a few cars are parked here, so I start looking for some girly looking car. I look around and see a familiar Toyota 86, no, it can't be... is that-

" Yeah, Akami-sensei gave me his car for safekeeping. Man, what a beast... You know how fast I can drive on this thing when there is no traffic? 120 kph..."

" How the hell can you even drive with that small-"

" Shut it, Yoku. Geez, that attitude of yours really makes me wonder if Akami-sensei is your father or something."

We walk up to the car and she opens it, revealing a fragrant and tidy interior. We got in and the leather of the seat feels comfortable on my back. Miss Yuna sighs as she starts the car. Her hands are slightly trembling as she starts the car. After a while, we drove off away from school and towards my house. There isn't a lot of traffic today so we were driving pretty fast. Miss Yuna chose a path which would take us around 15 minutes just to get to my house.

" Yoku, I did some digging and I found out that... well, Yuri is adopted."

" What?! H-How did you find out?!"

" I looked for her papers in the school archives. I can't really talk to her parents since they're already dead."

" Wait, they died?"

" Yeah... in a car accident a few years back. She lives with her grandmother, who is now senile and old. It also seems Yuri has been living off their life insurance. But there is something that is bugging me about her..."

Miss Yuna clamped down on the wheel, gritting her teeth as drives.

" It seems as if this was all planned. I heard that on the day her parents died, Yuri was supposed to start her therapy... causing her to stop going to school for a while."

" Maybe it's just a coinci- Oh who am I kidding, it's way too obvious. She did it."

I say as I lower my head in dismay.

" ... I'm more worried about the repercussions of her actions. You know that this is something that should be punished, right?"

" Yeah... The weight of her actions is far too great to be ignored. But I don't want her to be incarcerated..."

" Heh, me too Yoku... After all, she is just a kid... Hey look! It's your house, right?"

I look up and saw my brightly lit house, it's noisy interior and open doors has a sort of warm and inviting feel. It may not be that big, but it's enough for the three of us to live in.

" Let's talk about this later, with your club president."

Miss Yuna parks her car in my driveway and we get off. We were greeted by a the stares of four girls, who were poking their heads out of the doorway. Monika then cheerfully walks up to me, closing the distance between us before giving a tight hug.

" Yoku~ Welcome home!" Monika says as she gazes at me with her green eyes.

" I see... Yoku here is collecting women for a harem... How despicable." Miss Yuna says as she stands beside us.

" Hey! I-I'm not making a harem! The two over there lives next door and the other one is a maid." I point a finger to the three that is still busy watching us from afar.

" That's right! Yoku picked me as his girlfriend, Teehee~~"

" Ooooohh, so did you guys already do... 'that'?" Miss Yuna had an inquisitive yet playful look on her face.

" Fufufufu, yup! In fact, we couldn't even stand up the ne-"

" Okay, that's enough, why don't we all eat first? I'm pretty sure we are all hungry." I say with an annoyed voice.

We made our way inside the house, noticing the three poking their heads out from the sofa. Natsuki and Sayori has a curious yet friendly stare, Maido on the other hand...

" Yoku... I have... a bad feeling... about this..." Maido mutters out, her soft voice catches the attention of Miss Yuna. Her brown eyes catches a glimpse of Maido's golden eyes.

" W-What a cute girl! May I pet her?!" Miss Yuna looks at me with puppy dog eyes. Monika and I grin at this, while Sayori and Natsuki laugh menacingly.

" Hehe, why not! Go ahead and pet her all you want!" I laugh as Maido starts to tremble in fear. Natsuki and Sayori then holds the girl's arms.

" Ufufufu... A gothic lolita, it's rare to see someone like this... Ehehehehe..."

" Y-Yamete... Yamete kudasai!!! Kyaaaaaaahhh~~!!!"

Maido's cries are drowned out by the embrace and petting of Miss Yuna. Monika and I laugh as we see Maido being embraced and examined by Miss Yuna. She would pet and caress the golden locks of hair Maido has, then caressing her pale, white skin that is soft to the touch. She would then look and hold the fabric of her maid uniform, awed and amazed by the material and elegant design on it. Maido resisted at first, but finally gives in and lets out a long sigh as she relents to the teacher's examination and petting of her body.

" Are you... an acquaintance of Akami-sama?"

" Hm? That perverted bastard? Yup! I knew him, he's a cool dude! We have the same tastes when it comes to many things. Ehehe~"

" No wonder... He also does this kinds of things when he gets the chance... Natsuki, Sayori, please let go now."

The two girls lets go of Maido, who is now being held tightly Miss Yuna. Sayori and Natsuki walks over to us and watch as Maido groan due to the teacher's touching.

" What is Miss Yuna even doing here?" Natsuki groans quietly at me.

" No... It's about... Yuri. We were supposed to talk about Yuri and well... How to help her." I murmur quietly.

" Do you think Miss Yuna has a boyfriend?" Sayori asks with a curious tone.

" I don't think so... I think the moment you go out with her, you might get classified as a lolicon."

" Hey! I heard that! Anyway, mind if I eat here?" As Miss Yuna lets go of Maido, Maido scampers away towards us and trembles behind me. I smile and pat her now messy blonde hair.

" All we have here is vegetarian food. You ok with that?"

" Heh, vegetarian food is ok compared to a months of ramen noodles."

We all pause as our stomachs grumble about the thought of food. We laugh about it and we all head towards the dining room. Laid out before us is a scrumptious meal of vegetarian curry, spicy mapo tofu, and miso soup. We all sit down on the table and begin to eat. Sayori ate a spoonful of the mapo tofu, then she started wheezing and chugging some cold water. Her face turned red and steam started emanating from her mouth. She swallowed the spoonful before sticking out her red and swollen tongue.

" It's sho spicy~~ I burnt my tongue." Sayori said with a sad look on her face.

" It's supposed to be spicy, Sayori. You just have a low spice tolerance. Look, I'll eat some and it's gonna be fine for me."

slurp*

" See! It's not... that... spicy... Ah! Hah! Hah! Water!!! Yoku!" Natsuki started wheezing as well, all the while glaring at me. I place a water pitcher in front of her, and I watch as she pours glass after glass of water.

" Ahaha, who has low spice tolerance now?" Sayori tease as Natsuki takes a swig.

" Shut... up... Who the hell could even stomach thi-"

" Wow! This is really good, Maido! Delicious!" Miss Yuna just finished eating her second plate of the Mapo tofu.

" ...Hmm... Thank you..." Maido also finished her second serving of the spicy dish.

" M-Monsters..." Natsuki mutters out as we looked at the two exchange a competitive glare.

" Ne, Maido... Want to have a competition? It seems no one else here can eat this mapo tofu, why don't we see which one of us falls first?" Miss Yuna says with a calm yet confident voice. Maido remains unprovoked at this.

" Fine... let us begin." The two starts eating at once. Monika and I watch the two in amusement as we eat our vegetable curry. Natsuki and Sayori watch in awe as the two ate the mapo tofu with a straight face.

" Heh, not bad... little girl."

"... Same... I commend you for still being up after all that capsaicin being ingested by you."

" Ahaha, I'm not gonna let a few enzymes mess up my day."

" Interesting... But I'm confident it is I that will be victorious."

( **1 hour later)**

The challenge ended in a tie. We ran out of mapo tofu after the seventh serving. Maido and Natsuki volunteered to clean the dishes. Sayori went home to do something so the three of us sat on the sofa and begin to talk about the thing that has been bugging us since the moment this week started.

Yuri.

" Miss Yuna-"

" Monika, just call me Yuna. We aren't at school, Ehehe"

" Okay, uhmm, Yuna... Before we start talking about Yuri's past, may I ask... How is she doing in her classroom?"

" Hmmm, well... She mostly keeps to herself and just spends most of her time reading in a small corner of the room. She gets picked on from time to time, by the other girls... Stacey... I'm sorry..."

Miss Yuna begins to sob, but she holds in her tears and continues.

" Yeah, but they usually would stop when I see them. Yeah, she's the typical silent kind of girl... who is a-"

" Yandere." We all say in unison. A moment of silence fell, before each of us nods in unison.

" Anyway, here... It's a flash drive with all of Yuri's data after she got adopted. It's funny... I never thought that a seven year old could go trough that kind of shit." Miss Yuna slides me a small violet flash drive before letting out a yawn.

" You guys go ahead and read through all of that without me... I'm going home... I still have work to do. I can't let that shit mess up my weekend. Oh! That reminds me." Miss Yuna stands up and smiles. Monika and I look at Miss Yuna, who is wearing a grin on her face.

" It seems like a good weekend, so you guys want to watch that horror movie with me? I already bought 3 tickets for us. Hold on, I think I have it... Yup! Here it is! You guys should hold on to this since I'm a huge klutz." Miss Yuna smiles as she hands as the tickets. Oh, it's the slasher film that I've heard about.

" Thanks! We'll be there. Well, it's getting late so you better go home." I say as I politely lead her to the front door.

" Ufufufu... Are you worried about me? Ahahahahaha! Don't worry, if anything happens, I'll clasp my hands together and pray! Isn't that how you ask for miracles? Ahahaha. Bye~~" Miss Yuna pats me on the head before leaving. Her playful laugh can be heard as she steps into her car. Monika and I wave goodbye as her car drove off into the distance, it's lights slowly vanishing from our view.

" So... you want to go check on the files?"

" Of course! You might need me to decode some of the data."

Monika and I rush inside, we sprint as fast as our feet can carry us. We see Natsuki and Maido jump in surprise as we run up the stairs. We enter my room and shut the door behind us. I boot up my PC and insert the flash drive. After a brief moment, a notification pops up. We glance at each other, we were both hesitant, but we pushed on. We open up the contents of the flash drive, a folders are in it. We see a folder with the name 'orphanage event'. I could feel my stomach tie itself into knots, my hair beginning to stand on it's ends and my body being covered in goose bumps. I drag my cursor towards it and...

I open the file.

Oh my god... What the hell... It's filled with...

 *** DDLC:Our Reality ***

Man, driving home after a long day is relaxing. I need to catch up on the anime I missed, two days of browsing and collecting some kid's personal data is exhausting. I just want to bury myself in a pile of blankets and watch some anime...

I look at the blurry houses that I pass by. Man, what a gruesome sight. To think I found some pictures of what seemed to be a cult performing some ritual with a kid. Disgusting. Those images are forever ingrained in my head, the bloody circle and altar, the haunting faces of the corpses and the cult members... and that damn eye. That lone, red, bloodstained eye. To think she was rescued from such a place at a young age, no wonder she has self harm issues. It must be due to the constant rituals preformed on her.

I enter the empty highway, the trees on each side of the road made me feel uneasy. Damn horror movies and shit. I sigh and begin to drive faster, I don't want to be here. I play some Sabaton to help calm my nerves. Attero Dominatus, perfect! This would help me get trough this spooky highway. As I drive, I notice the unnatural silence around my car, the dim streetlights that must've been long over due for a maintenance check. Even with this kind of music, I still feel unnerved by the damn place. My intuition is telling me something bad is about to happen... And, as if on cue, one of my tires went flat, and I don't have a spare tire at the moment.

"God, why?! Why now?!" I mutter to myself as I got off the car. I look around and saw a sign that I said I was at least a kilometer away from my subdivision.

I call a towing service and told them about my predicament. They say I should wait around 10-15 minutes. Great, I'm stuck in this place that gives me the creeps just by standing in it. I sigh and I take a sit inside of my car, Sabaton still playing loudly. After a few songs, I grumble a bit and got out of my car. I'll just go and take a look at the damn... pothole... responsible...

I walk a few meters away from my car and bend down. A line of nails is scattered throughout the width of the road. I pick one up and begin to inspect it, it seems brand new... like it was bought this morning. Suddenly, I hear a rustle from the bushes, followed by a sharp pain in my shoulder. My eyes widen at what I saw, a knife is embedded into my right shoulder.

" Tsk! Fucking hell!" I curse out loud as I begin to dash to my car, dodging the hail of knives that flew around me.

I feel a sharp pain in my legs, then in my side... Fuck... I've been hit. I look at the shape of my body, man, at least four knives are sticking out from me. I don't even bother crawling to my car anymore, I'll probably die from blood loss anyway. I hear the maniacal laughing of my assailant, the moonlight illuminating her deep purple hair. The way it flutters and shine in the moonlight, youyou could mistake it for that of a ghost, especially her face. Her face is warped into that of a devilish and sadistic grin. Her mature body trembles and jitters as she walks towards me. In her hands is a knife with a blue blade, must be her favorite. Her violet eyes shone like that of a demon in this darkness. Even if I can't see her properly, I know who this is.

" Are you sure you want to do this? I haven't finished encoding your damn grades yet." Nothing. Silence is my only response.

" You know, I've always thought of you as a gifted child. Ahaha, to think you're also gifted when it comes to this kind of stuff." Once again, nothing. Silence, but this time, I can feel ahe is getting irritated. Her footsteps are getting heavier as she walks towards me.

" Sigh... I bet that idiot would still forgive you after he finds out about this. I can see why you fell for him... Hehehe, but jokes on you!" She stops in her tracks for a moment as I readjusted myself. I made it so that the light would show my damn grin as clear as day.

" Even if you do all this for him, he already made his choice. It's so obvious you know! Hahaha, he chose Monika over you, Yuri... No, should I say.. Elyssa! Elyssa Libitina! Ha... Haha... ahahahahahahahah *cough* *cough*" I wheeze as I finish mocking her. She's angry, her hands are trembling and her face contorted into an expression of rage.

" Lies... Those are lies!!!" Yuri yelled out as she lunged for me. Her eyes and yell echoed with rage.

I didn't even bother to fight back. A few swing from her, a few thrusts and now I could feel the het draining away from my body. A metallic taste filled my mouth. This warm liquid has a crimson hue as it spills out. It's my blood, as expected. Yuri twists the blade in my chest before pulling out. You know what really frightens me? The face she has right now, the expression she is using to look down on me. The rage and anger she wore earlier, it's gone. It's replaced by a calm and straightfaced expression. She walks away after picking up the knives stuck in me. She enters the bushes, then disappears, her footsteps becoming more silent as she walks away. Man, it's silent, I always thought I'd die infront of a TV or something...

I look up into the night sky, smiling.

" I'm really sorry, Yoku... Guess I won't be able to... keep... my promise..." My consciousness begins to fade into black. In the distance, I could hear a truck brake and some guys running. Too late... you were 3 minutes late you fuckers...


	32. Past

"Kukukuku... What a scary development... I wonder how Yoku will try and fix this..." The figure smiles as he watches the two events in separate screens.

" I wonder... What have kind of stuff have you dug out from those gruesome past of hers- Oh! A new episode of Darling in the Franxx." Akami-sama switches the view on the monitors that mysteriously appeared a few days ago. He leans on the door behind him and begins to watch. Out of nowhere, one of the screens malfunction and begins to show a horrible scene.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

As the moon hid behind the clouds of the starless night, the crackling of fire can be heard in a nearby clearing along with some incoherent chanting. A group of hooded figures walks into the light of the huge bonfire from the shadows of the large trees around them. In their hands they carried a baby, five in total. As the fire illuminated their figures, a large and menacing symbol of an eye can be seen on the hoods that covered their faces.

" This children... shall be sacrifices... for god..." The figure in the center grumble in a low and deep tone.

" Trial by fire... we shall cleanse their bodies so that they may be worthy vessels for our god." The figure in the far left of the group said in a feminine voice.

" Very well... We must cleanse them now... Time is of the essence." At once, they raised the infants into the air, before tossing them into the fire.

The night was filled with the cries of the infants as their tortured wails echoed into the the night. In the distance, a young girl heard this horrific sounds. She covers her ears as the sounds reverberates even inside her windowless prison called her bedroom. She remembers bitterly about the story on how she was spared from this ordeal due to some miracle. Apparently, everytime she was tossed into the blazing flames, the fire would immediately die out and a mischievous laughter can be heard from the skies. She takes a good look at her disheveled and scarred body. Numerous wounds and marks can be seen from the neck down due to the 7 years of torture she has endured. The problem is, she is beginning to enjoy being harmed. It started as mild pleasure at first, but now... now it's different. The thrill of being cut by a knife or being whipped is starting to become enjoyable for her.

She punches the wall in anger. "This is no longer normal. No person should enjoy this kinds of stuff." She thought to herself. As she shivers on her bed, she begins to sob and shake. Tomorrow is the day she will be forced to carry out the will of some horrible god that her family and followers worships. She must take the life of others, just like what she does every year. Everyone is awed by the graceful yet grotesque skills in handling a knife and the speed at which she kills her sacrifices. She weeps at herself, disgusted by the title given to her.

" Embodiment of the God of Bloodshed."

She buries her head in her pillow, concealing and muffling her pained cries from the world. How she wished for the day she would be saved by some valiant knight.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

One of the guards inside the camp carefully watches the area around the lodge on which a young girl resides in. He smokes one of his cigarettes, ignoring the echoes of the babies that are being burnt by those sadistic fucks.

Truth is, he isn't a security guard. He lied about that in his resume. Truth is, he is an undercover FBI agent working here for about a month now. He might have not been able to save the others, but he is intent on one thing. And that is to save the purple haired girl known as Elyssa Libitina. For weeks now, he has managed to become her trusted confidant due to their same outlook on all this bloodshed. But, deep down in his heart, he is afraid. This past few days, she has been forced to take part in sacrificial killings around the camp. At the end of the day, she would confess to him that, she was beginning to enjoy the thrill, the pleasure and the ecstasy of the kill. It sent shivers down his spine just by remembering the thought.

" Eric! How is the girl? Is she well rested?" A hooded figure approaches as she begins to converse with him.

" Yes. For the past hour she has been silently sobbing inside." The man, now known as Eric, replies in a serious yet subordinate manner.

" I see... You should go home now. It's getting late, we'll take it from here." The figure says as she pats Eric on his shoulder.

" Y-Yes, ma'am. I'll be taking my leave." He gave a salute to her, before walking towards the camp's parking lot. As he walked away, he felt unease. Deep down in his heart, he was worried for the girl.

The next day, after being briefed about the upcoming raid later, he made his way to the camp. Inside, he found Elyssa's lodge to be empty, furious at this, he grabbed one of the men there and begins to question him.

" Please.. sir... She is just being tested for her resolve. Tonight's bloodfest is very important after all." He let's go of the lad and groans in frustration.

Suddenly, screams echoes throughout the secluded camp. Eric looks at the source of this scream, from the main lodge. He sees 3 bloody and tattered people run out, he manages to get a hold of one and he begins to question the frightened and scared individual.

" W-What happened?! Where is Elyssa?!"

" W-We were torturing her... To test her spirit! I-I think it throughout the night that we tortured her... B-But then..." Eric lets go of the man, who begins to weep at his feet.

" She has given in to the primal instinct of killing others... To think, that a little girl like her could be such a monster... Please, You got to hel- AAAAAAAAH!" The man begins to gurgle blood, his head being pierced by a knife. Eric looks up and sees the small girl with a menacing grin.

" 20... Dead... I... killed them... Heh, hehehe... aaaahahahHaaaHahahHaha!!!" Elyssa begins to walk towards the frightened and shocked Eric. He was frozen in place by the fear and disbelief he felt.

" It was fun... I never knew that killing the people who hurt you would feel so... good! Right, Eric?" Eric manages to snap out of his trance as Elyssa walks up to him. No... This is not the Elyssa he knew, this is a nothing more but a monster.

" You're no longer the small and cheerful girl I know." Eric said as he pulls out his gone and immediately pulling the trigger.

The girl stammers a bit, before falling into his grasp. He fired a sedative at her, it shouldn't kill-

He felt a sharp sting in his chest, then he tasted a metallic taste in his mouth. Blood. His chest and mouth spews blood as the two of them collapses. For a moment, he catches a glimpse of Elyssa's tear. At least she regrets what she did. He sighs and thinks about the family he has lost a few years ago. His beloved Wife and daughter were abducted by this damn cult and killed for some dumb reason. Now, he knows that this little girl has probably fulfilled his vengeance for him. In the distance, he hears multiple vans and feet storming the place, as well as the whirring of the helicopter blades. He pulls the girl tighter in his embrace, he whispers one thing to her before passing out from blood loss.

" It's gonna... be okay... now..."

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

We read trough the horrific accounts and files about Yuri. The picture he saw about some sort of massacre made him feel uneasy. It seems Yuri was born inside some sort of cult and her parents used her as a sort of figure head. She went trough three different families before finally settling down on this one. I see an enticing video file in the corner of my eyes, but before I could open it, Monika closes the window and shuts down the PC.

" No... This is too much... I... I just want to sleep now." Monika walks away and slumps down on the bed.

I sigh helplessly, hopping into bed as well. The damn day has just been too much for me. I should just sleep away these damn worries away. Tomorrow, tomorrow is gonna be a big day... I'm sure of it!

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

I smile as I watch Yoku and Monika sleep together. The events of this story now getting more interesting... After all, tomorrow is the climax... Kekeke.

The being stands up and stretches his hands. He switches the screen to look at what Yuri is doing. As expected, she was cutting herself, moaning in ecstasy as the knife slit her fair skin. The god looks away in disgust, about to close the window just as Yuri was about to cut herself, but...

" I know... I know you can see me... Akami-sensei..."

" Or should I say... God"


	33. Moments Before

" Damn god... where were you on the day I saw my friends get butchered?! Huh?! Where the hell are you on the night they broke my mind and spirit?!" Akami-sama nearly fainted as Yuri shot him a blood thirsty look. He wasn't sure how, but it seems Yuri can see or sense him in his limbo and trough his screen.

" Oh wait... You're probably wondering... How can a mere child like me see you? It's simple really..." Yuri stands up and stretched her arms as Akami-sama fell over in a daze.

" I too, had an epiphany. Although... I still can't do the things you can do. Nevertheless, it allows me to sense when this 'world' is being watched by you."

Then Yuri stops for a moment. Her lips curling into a smile before chuckling.

" I really thought it was Monika who was messing up the world, it turns out to be you! Ahaha! Ahahahahahahahah!" Yuri laughs at her ceiling. Her spine chilling laughter resonating throughout her house.

 _Thank goodness... She does not know about Monika... yet._ " Now that I know everyone here but Yoku is fake, that means I can go all out, right?" Yuri then begins to twirl around her knife. In true psychopath fashion, she starts licking the blade of the knife.

 _Fuuuuucck... Enough of this damn exile of mine. It's clear now... I underestimated Yuri's threat. Tsk, it might be painful, but it's worth a try._

In an instant, just as Yuri finished laughing, she collapses on her knees and begins to sob. Her whole body trembling as she begins to cry out in pain.

" No... Why?! Why am I like this?! I'm no different from those... monsters... Please, I need help... Yoku... Yoku... save me..." While Yuri sobbed on the floor, Akami-sama begins to whisper commands.

" I didn't want to be like this... Why am I like this?! Please, answer me..." Yuri says as she cries in horror.

" All these deaths that I have caused... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry.. " The girl mutters to herself inside her lonely room. Unable to properly express the emotions she doesn't understand.

" Maybe... Maybe... Maybe I should skip classes for today and go to that cafe at the mall, at least until the clubs starts.'" Yuri fumbles upward, trying to regain her composure.

" I just... need to go and find the courage. I'mgonna do it today! I'll confess to him! Riiiight after I go buy something at the mall." Yuri steels herself as she plunges unto the bed.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

-Inside Yoku's bedroom

Yoku wakes up due to something soft smothering his face. It turns out to be nothing more but Monika's large chest suffocating him. He smiles for a moment before burying his face into the comfortable pair of boobs in front of him.

 **Bzzzt**

A strange noise can be heard from the foot of his bed.

 **Bzzzzt... Y...Y...Yo... Bzzzt**

He decides to ignore it and continues enjoying the feeling of bliss on his face.

 **Bzzzzt... Wake... up...**

Yoku finally perks up and looks around his room. His eyes widened and his jaw drops as a terrifying figure stoops at the foot of his bed. It's face and body is covered in glitches that is a horrific sight to describe. Yoku stammers as the figure begins to lift one of its arms. Due to his squirming and shivering, Monika wakes up to see what is going on, only to be met by a white noise that resembles the static in old TV sets.

 **Bzzzzzzt... She... Bzzzzzt... knows... be... careful... Protect... them... Bzzzzzzt.**

The figure drops a shiny and metallic object on the bed, before disappearing. The two looks at each other in fear, trying to figure out what just happened. The object before them is nothing more but a small knife. Yoku carefully grabs it and examines it carefully. It is a Bowie knife with a reversed edge blade that is light enough that it almost feels like you are holding a pen.

" Akami-sama... So you're still alive..." Yoku mutters to hinself as he places the weapon down.

" Yoku... w-what does he mean with this?" Monika asks nervously as she picks up the the small knife.

" Beats me. Anyway, we need to do something about Yuri. I think... the simulation is using some other form of trauma to make Yuri more... insane." Yoku said in a tired and sleepy manner.

" Huh... It's only 4 in the morning... Want to go have some 'fun' before going down? Perhaps 'go down' on someone? Ehehe~" Monika said in a teasing and enticing tone. Her eyebrows and eyes signaling that she wants to do it right here, right now.

" Sure. I guess we have time."

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

Maido can't focus on cooking up breakfast for the five of them. The ceiling is dropping dust on her as it shakes. The loud moaning and annoying creaking of the bed is preventing Maido from enjoying the sizzling of the eggs and bacon.

" Ah! Yoku! Ah!"

" Monika!!! Fucking MonikammMmmm!"

Maido grips the wooden spoon tightly. A vein can be seen popping in her head due to irritation. She holds the second pan, the one where she is cooking the pancakes and was about to flip it. One, Two, Three, Flip!

" Monika! You're to rough! Aaaah!"

Due to the sudden outburst, Maido fails to catch the pancake. It lands on the stove and begins to burn. This was supposed to be her pancake, she already finished making Monika's and Yoku's pancakes. She grabs the burning piece of pancake and throws it in the trash.

" Monikaaa!~~ I'm... I'm at my limit!"

" Just... Hold on a little longer!"

Maido clenches her fist. She has had enough of this. She turns off the stove and places the bacon and eggs she cooked on a plate before going upstairs. The intensity and loudness of such lewd and lustful activity increased as she neared the room. Angrily, she kicks open the door and steps inside with clenched fists and a glare that says 'You guys are so dead!'.

Yoku and Monika scrambles off each other, trying to cover themselves as Maido simply stared the two of them down. Maido sighs and pulls out a red ball from her pocket, a ball gag. She points at Monika and raises a finger at her.

" Ssshhhhh! Be... Quiet... Too noisy. Disgusting!" Maido said as she walks out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Maido smiles as she hears the two gradually become more silent. Either they are doing it more quietly or they have stopped altogether. Lust and desire was never really an issue for her, since all she wanted to do was do the housework. Afterall, it is what she was programmed to do. She heads to the kitchen to brew some tea, perhaps this may help soothe her nerves. As she brews the macha, she takes one long look at her black sleeve that has white frills on it. She frowns at her attire, she thinks that today maybe a good day to go clothes shopping. Maido wanted to wear something that would expose her midriff yet would still cover a large amount of her body. Perhaps that Miko outfit she is looking for can be seen at the mall. She smiles excitedly, today would be a good day to go clothes shopping!


	34. Disaster(Part 1)

Maido watches the two eat breakfast silently. They all refuse to look at her due to the awkward scene earlier and in fear of being scolded by the little girl.

" Sigh~ What a handful..." Maido whispers to herself as she shakes her head.

" Yoku... I wish to, erm... _take the day off..._ T-That sounds weird. I'm not used to saying such things... I'm sorry." Maido bows her head at Yoku, who in turn starts to blush in embarrassment.

" S-Sure! Um... Sorry... for earlier..." Yoku mumbles to Maido while Monika laughs nervously.

" It's ok... It is my fault for bargi-"

" No! It's ok! It's our fault for making all that noise!" The two shouted in unison while raising their hands in protest.

Just before Maido can disagree, the front door flew open. Natsuki and Sayori enters the house with an energetic and hungry looks in their faces. They both stop in their tracks and looks at the three, tilting their heads to the side as they ask in unison.

" Did something happen?"

" You guys had a fight or what?"

" Uhm... Something like that. Want some breakfast? Maido made some delicious food." Yoku says as he gestures towards the meal on the table.

" Really? I thought Monika and Yoku were fighting. We could hear you guys screaming each other's name so loudly-"

" That's just us playing around Sayori." Monika said with a huge blush on her face.

" Really? I think I heard something different earlier and I'm sure that those were the sounds of two people-"

" Ehem! The four of you are gonna be ate of you continue to talk." Maido interrupts Natsuki and places a plate with french toasts on the table. She walks beside Natsuki and leans closer to her ear.

" _Sayori is too pure to hear those kinds of things..."_ Maido pats Natsuki on her head before taking a seat. Monika and Yoku flashes her a thumbs up, causing her to smile.

 **A few hours later...**

Maido closes the door behind her before letting out a relieved sigh. The entire day, all to herself, just to relax. She looks at Sayori's empty house, NyanNyan is playing in her yard and seems to be having fun. Maido begins walking towards the direction of the park, a short stroll trough there would be pretty nice. Just thinking about the colorful and vibrant flowers and the refreshing greenery that grows there puts a smile on her face.

It took a while, but Maido finally finds the place. She had a slow pace as she walk trough the park. Not a lot of people are there, since it's still around 9 in the morning. Maido took in a deep breath and let it all out. The smell of grass and flowers fascinates Maido, maybe she should plant some at home. It would help bring in the butterflies that NyanNyan and her loves so much. Maido skips along the path while humming the tune of some Vocaloid song Natsuki likes so much. Maido ignored the occasional stares people gave her. Her small stature and weird fashion sense made her look like some beautiful yet fragile doll. Her silky, straight blonde hair that flowed down back, the black Gothic lolita style maid costume she wore, the cute, high pitched tone of her voice made her look like some graceful nymph or fairy... or some weird ass cosplayer.

Maido finishes her walk without any incidents-

" Oof!" Maido bumps into some girl as she turns around the corner. The both of them fell on their backs before groaning from the pain.

" Oh! A-Ah... I'm sorry... Are you ok?" The girl quickly stands right up and stretches out her hand towards Maido.

" Yes, I'm fine... Oh, your book..." Maido notices the dirty red book on the ground. She picks this up before standing up.

Before her stood a tall and beautiful girl. She was around Monika's height, probably taller, which irked Maido since she is barely as high as her shoulder. She wore a school uniform similar to that of the girls, meaning she goes to the same school as them. The long, flowing purple hair that reaches the back of her waist matches the color of her eyes, a beautiful shade of violet, a mesmerizing color. What strikes her the most is her mannerisms and the way she speaks. She is constantly glancing around and looks like a nervous wreck, stutters and over all, seems like a shy and withdrawn girl, compared to her body. A body figure that is more mature and sexy than Monika, except for her thighs. No one can beat Monika's thighs.

 _Is this really a highschool girl?!_ Maido thought to herself. A figure with so much appeal, especially on her bust size. Doesn't that put a large strain on her lower back?! She felt a surge of envy in her, causing her to look down on her own chest. The shoes, she can see her shoes... nothing is covering her view, it's just flat... so flat...

" Uhm... e-excuse me... You seem to be... spacing out. Are you sure you're ok?" Maido perks up as the girl nervously looks at her.

" Yes, I'm sure... Here, your book." Maido hands the girl her red book with an ominous symbol of an eye on the cover.

" Thank you. W-Well... I-I'm going now. Bye!" The girl waves at her as she walks away. Maido smiles at this encounter.

 _I hope I could send some more time with this girl. She seems like she knows a lot about books._ Maido muses to herself. But just before she could walk away, she hears a short shriek followed by muffled noises.

Maido turns around to see the girl being dragged away by some shady looking guys toward a nearby alleyway. The girl she met earlier attempting to struggle, but it is futile. Maido shakes her head and groans.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

Yuri was tossed into the back of a dark alleyway. Three men, all with lecherous and disgusting grins on their faces, approach her. They reek of both alcohol and urine, their eyes are bloodshot, yet they have large and muscular bodies. Yuri notices that her body is slightly weak and heavy. It must be the cloth they used to muffle her screaming earlier, it must've been drugged.

" Oi! You got some nice tits over there. Mind if I give them a feel? Kekekekeke..." The one wearing a red bandanna laughed as he stammers towards Yuri. His tounge licking his lips as his eyes looked at Yuri as if he was undressing her in his mind.

" We really got a nice catch today, huh? This one's a keepah'! She's got everything! Tits, ass and legs! Ahahahaha!" The one at the back shouted softly.

" Hey muscle head! Hold her for me!" The one wearing the bandanna barked at the man beside him.

" My pleasure..." He replied in a low and deep voice. As they came closer to her, dark thoughts filled her mind.

 _No... Not yet..._

Yuri muttered to herself. She pretended to be scared of the men, disguising her movements to make it look like she is shielding her body from their lustful gazes, but in reality... She is waiting for the moment to get a clean stab with her knife that is concealed in her legs.

" Huh?! What the- Ugh!"

 **Thud**

Everyone stops at what they were doing and looks toward the source of the loud thud. One of the thugs lay motionless on the floor, his mouth is frothing and his body is twitching violently. A little girl wearing some sort of maid costume stands at the entrance of the alley. Her arms outstretched and positioned in a sort of stance.

" Tsk. Damn bitch..." The one wearing a bandanna reaches for his pocket and pulls out a butterfly knife. He smiled as he eyed the small girl.

" Come any closer and you'll-"

The thug wasn't able to finish his sentence due to him suddenly collapsing on the floor. His body convulsing due to an impact on his neck, along with his other companion, tey were both knocked out. No one even saw her move, in the blink of an eye, the blonde girl dashed behind the two and performed a roundhouse kick to two people that are twice her size. The shock and pain of the kick made them all black out in an instant.

" Let's go... I still have some clothes to buy." The little girl said to Yuri before dusting herself off. Realizing something was off, she leaned closer to Yuri.

" Can you stand? You seem to have breathed in a small amount of chloroform." The girl says as she stretches out her hand.

" I... I'll try." Yuri mutters out as she takes the girl's hand and lifts herself up.

" Thank you... For saving me." Yuri says as she stammers on her two feet, still suffering the effect of the drugs. Thankfully, it's disappearing now.

" No problem... You know, why don't you come with me. I could use a hand in looking for the dress I want to buy." The blonde spoke to Yuri in a calm and gentle manner. Yuri was taken aback by this.

" S-Sure... But first, what's your name?" Yuri asks the girl. The girl smiles and tilts her head a little.

" Maido. Call me Maido." They begin to walk, Maido taking the lead while Yuri followed closely behind.

" I'm Yuri! Nice to meet you... But, what about those people? Shouldn't we call the police?" Yuri looks at the girl with a concerned look on her eyes. Maido sighs and continues walking.

" Too much questions... You're too annoying." Maido says as she pressed forward.

" O-Okay... I'm sorry."

" Just... be quiet..."

 ***DDLC:Our Reality***

After a while, a loooong while, they finally reached the mall. Before Yuri can relax however, Maido grabs her arm and begins walking quickly. Maido's eyes and head darted from side to side, glancing at the windows of the stores and the passing people. Yuri felt a little awkward, since people are looking at them, to be more precise, at Maido. Her outfit and looks alone causes her to become a magnet for everyone's attention. Since Yuri isn't a big fan of other people looking at her, she felt bothered and embarrassed at this attention.

" Yuri... May I ask? Why are you not at school?" Maido asks as they step unto an escalator.

" Oh... Uhm, well... uh..."

" Sigh... Let's talk there. I won't get anything out of you with all this people looking at us." Maido points at a small cafe as they reach the top of the escalator. Yuri simply nods before being dragged once again by Maido.

Maido and Yuri sat beside the window inside the cafe. Maido's gaze was on the different people passing by. She is intrigued by the different outfits and characteristics of each person. A myriad of different kinds of people and the stories they bring with them. Yuri found this behavior interesting that she can't help but smile at the girl who kept observing the passing people. They ordered a sandwich and some green tea so they can have an early lunch. It was already 11 and Maido didn't want this girl to roam around with her with an empty stomach. But it may take a while for the food to arrive, but the tea would be here shortly.

" Hey, you haven't answered my question. Why are you cutting classes?" Maido shifts her focus towards Yuri. She starts to play with a long strand of her hair.

" Well... You see... I'm scared of the people in class."

" And why is that?"

" People. The people in my class are... well, horrible. Ahaha, but it's my fault! I'm just not that much of a likable person anyway..." Yuri tries to laugh it out to make the situation less awkward.

" Hm... I see... So you really are a socially awkward student. Even with your assets, you fail to make friends or acquaintances within your own classroom." Maido sighs in dismay. She pauses for a moment and looks at Yuri's shocked expression. Hilarious.

" I-I have friends in my club! You know!" Yuri pouted at Maido's teasing. Maido only found this more interesting. Maido lets out a chuckle as she sees the waitress bringing them the Macha and Oolong tea they ordered.

" _No wonder you want to get the day over with."_ Maido mutters to herself as the waitress places the cups of tea on their table.

" But you know Maido... It's not just that... I'm also scared of something else." Yuri stares at the cup of Oolong tea in her hands. Maido raises an intrigued eyebrow at her.

" Love... I'm having a hard time expressing it, and I fear that even after all the trouble I've been to... He might reject me." Yuri stared at the swirling waters inside her cup. A sad sigh left Yuri's mouth as she lifts her head up and looks at Maido.

" So, I believe that maybe I should just go and wait until classes end. At least I'd hit two birds with one stone. Avoid the trouble of getting bullied and be able to see the-"

" Idiot."

" Huh?

" You're an idiot."

"Eh?!"

" That's right, you're an idiot. You skip school cause you're afraid of some damn idiots pushing you around and telling the person you like about your feelings?! Geez, what a damn idiot. You're more idiotic than my 2 masters! And they're the most stupid beings I know!" Yuri was stunned at this that she couldn't even react. The little girl before her reminded her of another girl, one with pink hair that is also not afraid of speaking her mind out.

" If you really like the person, shouldn't you want to spend the day fighting against those hurdles to see him at the end of the day?! Confessing to your crush is more difficult than telling a bunch of bullies to 'Fuck Off!', maybe you should be doing that instead of helping a girl you barely know go clothes shopping! I say, you're a damn moron! Even if he rejects you at the end, at least you got that heavy feeling off your huge chest!'" After Maido finishes her rant, she pants a little to catch her breath. The now embarrassed and flabbergasted Yuri failed to give a reply. After a long moment of silence, Yuri finally gets out of her stunned state.

" You're right..."

" Hmm?"

" I need to get myself together and find the courage to confess to him! I must not be beaten to the finish line! Thank you, Maido, for your scolding. It is a needed lesson for me. I'm going no- Ow!" Maido stands up and flicks her finger across Yuri's forehead. Yuri rubs the spot Maido hit while Maido shakes her head.

" You're hopeless... If you're gonna go back to school, at least do it before clubs start. You probably won't even focus on your lessons with that guy swirling around your head." Yuri was expecting some action that told her Maido is dissapointed at her. Instead, a cute giggling could be heard from the small girl in front of her.

" W-What's so funny?"

" Nothing... Well, you just remind me of my master. Without a friend, he just gets all depressed and confused on what to do." Maido laughs lightly, her cheery smile manages to dissipate the tense air around them. Just in time too, their sandwiches arrive just as Maido finishes talking. The two begins salivating at the delicious meal in front of them.

The two started to talk as they ate their sandwich. Although they just met that morning, the way they talked with each other looks like two friends that haven't seen each other in years finally meets up again. They decided to talk about their different interests and hobbies. They were both surprised to find out they both like arts and crafts, painting, and literature. Yuri was also impressed that Maido also likes knives, and that she is an expert on how to handle and care for knives. But most importantly, their minds clicked on one thing...

" Right?! I can't believe I finally met someone who agrees with me! Manga is not literature, it's visual arts!"

" Yes, I agree. Although I do have a collection of manga, I do not consider them as literature. The argument is that people 'read' manga, but in truth is that manga does not really rely on words, but it just uses its dialogue to help convey the art and story. Its main tool in expressing the story it contains is trough the art and scenery contained in its page." Maido smiles as she finishes her explanation and her sandwich. Yuri's eyes twinkle in admiration.

" T-That's exactly my point! Oh my gosh, this is amazing, now I have something to say to her when she argues with me..." Yuri chuckles as she also finishes her sandwich.

" Hmm, 12:01 pm... Alright! Let's rest for five minutes before we go find the outfit I'm looking for!" Maido exclaims as she clasps her hands together.

" Uhm, I have a question. What kind of outfit are we even looking for?" Yuri asked in a curious tone while looking at Maido.

" A miko outfit." Maido said blatantly.

" Huh? A... miko outfit? You mean the shrine maiden outfits they use in Shinto?!" Yuri said in a surprised manner.

" Yes. But... If there aren't any, guess I'll just buy some sailor uniforms or a magical girl uniform." Maido said it in a way where it seems that it is normal to buy those kinds of outfits.

" Are you... a cosplayer? You know what... Erm, nevermind." Yuri hides her smile as she sips her tea. At least she has found someone like her who lso collects weird stuff.

* **DDLC: Our Reality***

Although it took them a few hours, Maido finally manages to buy not just the Miko outfit, but also the Sailor Uniform and the Magical Girl Uniform. It was already three in the afternoon when they finished their shopping. They were walking towards the park, since it would help Yuri get to her school faster. Along the way, Yuri kept glancing at the outfits Maido bought.

" Maido... are you sure you wanna wear that? Especially the Magical Girl one... It exposes a lot of your skin, especially your midriff." Yuri said in a concerned tone. Maido merely shrugs it off and laughs.

" Well, if I wore this, I'd have no under boob or side boob to expose... Hehehe, yeah... a petite body has its charms... Hahaha, like not suffering from back pain..."

An awkward silence fell between them. Maido paid no heed to this and kept moving forward. Yuri's mind raced to thoughts like _' Oh my gosh, she is an exhibitionist!'_ or ' _Is she referring to me?'_ or _' She still has that child like charm going for her...'_ and the like. After a while, they have reached the shortcut trough the park. It was pretty secluded and no-one else was there besides them. The cracking of leaves and twigs can be heard as they walked. Yuri, out of curiosity and a desire to end this awkward silence between them, asks a question.

" Who is the 'Master' you talk about so much?" Yuri asked. Maido stopped for a moment, before facing Yuri.

" Yoku... Yoku Shisegi. Do you know him?" Maido tilted her head as she replied to Yuri. Yuri drops the bag she has been carrying, and auses for a moment. After a brief moment, she smiles.

" Oh... Yeah! I know him!" Yuri slowly walks up to Maido.

" He is in the same club as me..." Yuri now stood inches away from Maido.

" And it's funny... He is the person I'm going to confess to. What a small world." Maido stands unflinching as she stared deep into Yuri's bloodshot eyes.

" Tell me, are you also a rival?!" Yuri's gentle and warm smile is gone, it was replaced by a sadistic and terrifying grin. Yet, Maido stands undeterred at this threat.

" No... I have no feelings for Yoku except the ones which compels me to care for him and his well being." Maido replied in a cold and serious tone to Yuri. Her figure towers over her since she is at least a foot larger than her, yet Maido stands firm.

" And what are those feelings?" Yuri bares her fangs at Maido, who simply walks back and smirks.

" Heh, a sense of loyalty and devotion. And if you ask me, I don't think you even stand a chance with Yoku. Now that I've seen your true colors... It's clear now..." Maido drops the bags she has been carrying and in a mocking fashion, laughs in amusement.

" I can't believe it, you've been causing so much trouble for Yoku, yet you still expect him to treat you as his lover? Ahaha!" Maido's serious expression changed into that of a bright smile, a stark contrast to Yuri's blood thirsty grin.

" You've got one hour left to go to the Literature Club and it's a 15 minute walk from here. If you ask me, I believe we have some time left to settle our dispute." Maido gets into a stance, one of her arms raised in front of her while the other is folded close to her chest.

" Tch... Sure, although I am a bit guilty I'm gonna kill someone that showed me a goodtime today." Yuri pulls out her knife and twirls it around.

" Hahaha, show me what you got. The moment you stab me, I win. Please bare that in mind." Maido has a smug look on her face which irked Yuri even more.

" We'll see about that. Here I come, Maido!" Yuri dashed towards Maido in unbelievable speeds. The leaves and dust forming a large cloud as she propelled herself towards Maido. Maido, didn't even move or dodged.

Yuri smiled widely as she plunged her knife into Maido's chest.

A thud was heard as leaves and dust flew up into the air. A laugh can be heard as the girl walked up towards the girl on the ground.


	35. Disaster(part 2)

Yuri's grin was replaced by an irritated scowl. The knife she plunged into Maido's chest found itself planted into the earth infront of her. Her hands shook in anger while the figure behind her laughed. From the shadows of the trees, she stepped forward to reveal long, blonde hair that flowed down her back and a pair of gold eyes that glowed like those of a monster. Maido smiled widely, her usual serious expression replaced with that of a cheerful one.

" Hahaha, I've never fought anyone before, and I'm looking forward to fighting you in armed combat. Teehee~" Maido revealed a knife hidden in her pocket.

" I can't believe my luck... I found this while cleaning Yoku's room. It is a knife with its edge facing the opposite direction. It's probably used for sparring and training." Maido glances at Yuri, her eyes shot her a look of pure anger.

" Are you jealous? If you want, you can take it from me." Maido smiled as she flips the knife in the air. Yuri scowls at this and quickly grabs her knife from the ground.

" It's been a while since someone put up a decent fight against me." Yuri breathes in and out, before lowering her body closer to the ground.

" A frontal assault? Fine, I'll take you head on!" Maido plants her feet on the ground and goes into a defensive stance.

A moment of silence fell between them. An aura of bloodlust emanates from both of the girls. Their gazes clashed with each other, waiting for either to look away or blink. In a blink of an eye, dust and leaves flew up into the air and a loud clashing sound can be heard. The loud clang of steel echoed trough the area, the sound of two monsters clashing with each other. Sparks can be seen flying within the dust cloud created by their fast and powerful movements. It was hard to see, due their actions being hidden by the clouds of leaves and dust along with their speed. Suddenly, a figure was thrown into the ground. But before she could crash unto the forest floor, she managed to changed her position mid air, causing her to land on her feet instead of her back. Her violet eyes glared into the raging storm of leaves and dust to meet the golden gaze of a small girl.

" You're pretty agile." Maido said with a calm voice. The dust settled around Maido, revealing a smile that could make a grown man shiver in his shoes.

" I'm surprised you can even nove with that stuffy outfit of yours." Yuri said as stands upright before entering a stance.

" Hahaha, yes. It is hard. Tell you what, I'm just gonna stand here and block all of your atta-" Maido was cut short of her sentence. Within milliseconds, she managed to block the sudden attack of Yuri, catching her off guard. Yet, she didn't counter attack, allowing Yuri to jump back to safety.

" Rude. Anyways, I'll give you 10 minutes to attack me to your heart's content. This will make for some great data on how battles work." Maido smiles as she opens her arms her arms towards Yuri.

" Now come! Show me what you got!" In a taunting manner, Maido gestured Yuri to charge at her.

Yuri charged at Maido with unbelievable speed. Yuri went for a slicing motion, aiming for Maido's neck. Maido blocked the strike with her knife, then using her free hand, took hold of her arm. After swiveling her feet, she twisted and pulled Yuri's arm to disarm her. Yuri winced at the pain, dropping her knife due to the weakness and pain she felt. Maido kicks the knife away and lets go of the girl's arm. Seeing this, Yuri recoils her arm and glares at Maido. Yuri roars in anger as she threw a punch at Maido, but she effortlessly dodged it. She tried to sweep kick Maido's feet, but she jumped in the air to avoid it. Maido jumps back and yawns, taunting the furious Yuri. She run towards Maido, her fists clenched while letting out a cry like that of a lion's roar. She swings at Maido's direction, then took a jab at her, before throwing a right hook. But the blonde girl avoided or blocked all of the throws without breaking a sweat. Yuri jumps back and immediately goes on the defensive, but Maido simply ignored her and yawns.

" Is that the best you got?" Maido frowns in boredom. Yuri is now filled with rage.

In an instant, Yuri dashed for her knife. Maido didn't bother stopping her, she merely watched as the girl before her took arms once more. She raised her knife and aims it at Maido. In a few strides, she has closed the distance between them. Using both of her hands, she stabs the knife deep into her gut with all of her weight behind it. A sense of victory and triumph washes over her. But, her opponent did not fall before her. Her eyes widened in shock and terror. Maido has caught the blade of the knife between her fingers. She shoved Yuri away before tossing the knife beside her. Maido smirks as Yuri falls to her knees in defeat.

" I think I've already proved the difference in our abilities. If I were you, I'll just call it a day and forget about this ordeal." Maido turns around and looks around the place. Her bags are laid on the ground, thankfully, undamaged and untouched. But as she tried to reach down, she felt a sharp pain at her shoulder. Yuri cackled as Maido turned around to face her.

" Don't turn your back on me... I am not incapacitated yet..." Yuri hissed at Maido. A knife is imbedded deep inside Maido's shoulder, a clean hit from Yuri. But, Maido merely shrugs it off. Not a hint of pain can be seen on the blonde's face.

" Tch... You know, you just made a grave mistake." Maido pulled out the knife, large amounts of blood started pouring out from the wound.

" I told you, the moment you hurt me..." Maido threw the knife on the ground and smiles.

" I won." Maido snickers at the perplexed Yuri.

" I don't want to dirty up your uniform since you are still going to confess to Yoku. But, I also don't want Yoku to see this..." Maido turns around and picks up the two bags behind her. Yuri is speechless at the resilient girl, now having a profile of what kind of enemy she just fought.

" It would be real bad if Yoku found out you attacked me. It would surely hurt your chances with him and he might also hate you." Maido turns around to face Yuri, the girl now trembling in fear of Maido.

The small blonde girl picked up the bags beside her that is filled with her clothes. She sighs and takes a moment to reflect on something before smiling at Yuri. It wasn't a smile filled with bloodlust or anger, rather it was a warm and welcoming smile. Yuri felt herself even more scared at Maido's change in behavior. She slowly made her way towards her, careful as to not frighten or intimidate her that may cause her to do anything brash. Her small figure looms over Yuri, casting her shadow on the girl before her.

" You're in quite a spot here, huh? Kill me and you risk losing the small chance you have with Yoku. On the other hand, if you let me live, Yoku would clearly see what happened to me and you would surely be in a pickle." Maudi kneels beside her and takes the bag that Yuri was supposed to bring.

" Lucky for you, I'm not really a fan of ruining friendships." Yuri looks at Maido in surprise. Her warm smile comforts Yuri, melting her fears again.

" Now, let's get going. You've got at least 25 minutes to run to your school. I'd really like to hear how you confessed to him someday." Maido pats Yuri's shoulder. A motherly sort of aura can be felt when you look at her smile.

" I'm... I'm so sorry..." Yuri shivers in guilt, tears forming in her eyes as she bows her head. Maido hugs her tightly to try and calm her down. She pats her back as she embraced Yuri.

" There, there... It's okay... I forgi-" Maido stops speaking due to the tremendous pain she felt. She was backstabbed, both figuratively and literally. As she was stupefied by this betrayal, Yuri giggles as she twists the knife deeper into her back.

" I'm sorry, but I just can't risk it. Ahaha, although I regret doing this, I have no choice." Yuri pulled away from Maido's weakening embrace. A triumphant smile spread across her face as she pulls the knife out of her.

" Damn it Yuri. This was my best dress!" Maido looks at her with an irritated look. For a moment, Yuri's victorious smile wavered.

" Tsk... What a pain..." Maido gets up from the ground, coughing up blood in the process. Her two gashes now pouring out blood so much that the ground around her had multiple pools of blood. Yuri is baffled on how could a little girl still stand up even after such a mortal blow is inflicted on her.

" I'm going now... See you later. I hope you don't get rejected too hard." Maido picks up her bags and sighs. She passed Yuri, and stops for a moment.

" For a moment, I really thought we could've been friends... I hope we can still do." Maido coughs up some blood before walking forward, gradually increasing the speed of her pace. Yuri wanted to cut her down, but deep inside her, she didn't want to. She shakes her head and looks around the place, she still has to pick up a few of her knives here and there.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

Maido dashed towards the house, her speed is so fast it would probably put a certain Kenyan to shame. She can't let anyone see her wounds. She opens the door and quickly gets inside. It may not seem like it, but Maido has already lost about a liter and a half of her blood. She slams the door behind her and took of her shoes. She was about to run to the kitchen to get her first aid kit, but her legs gave way and she collapsed on the floor due to blood loss. As her vision darkened, she sighed in anger.

" Dinner... not... ready." She groaned out in pain as she tried to crawl her way to the kitchen. But, after a moment, she blacked out. A large pool of blood flowed outward from her body.

" I can't... die... yet..." Maido whispers as the house falls silent once more.


	36. Confrontation

I open the door to my clubroom, hoping to find Yuri in there. We couldn't find her and I think she wasn't at school the whole day. But, I'm still not sure if I want to see her. I found out earlier today that Miss Yuna was found dead on the highway. Multiple stab wounds and holes covered her body and the tires of her car was covered in holes. She was able to make it to the hospital, but she died anyway due to her lungs and stomach being punctured. I didn't know what to feel when we were told about her sudden passing. A part of me is so, **so** guilty about it while the other part of me just felt angry at myself and Yuri. I felt my stomach churn at the thought, knowing that I just sealed the fate of an innocent teacher. I let out a long sigh and open the door to see who is inside. I am only greeted by a dimly lit room and the sound of a soft breeze entering trough the open window. I took a sit near the front and took out my sketch pad to finish the manga Amy and Yosuke wanted me to draw. As I drew the lines and borders of the panel, I begin to contemplate on what should I do. In the game, Yuri confesses to the player on Friday, and from what I know, a fight might break out between the Yuri, Natsuki and Monika. I shake my head and try to calm myself.

" Tsk... You can't keep relying on some other person to help you with your problems..." I mutter to myself out loud. The weight of the silence bears down on me, I'd be lying if I say I wasn't waiting for a response.

 **" Ahaha** **... Too bad!"** A distorted laugh can be heard from within the room. I stand up in surprise and look around, only to realize, this wasn't coming from anywhere in this room. Rather, it's echoing inside my head.

" Akami... sama?" I ask timidly.

 **" Ehehe... Finally, I got this thing to work! Man, it's hard to do stuff when your powers is limited. How are you?"** I sigh and I catch my head in my hands. To think, this guy is still alive after all.

" I'm fine... Okay, that's a lie. Shit is going down hill ever since you left. I'm having a hard time keeping it all together. To think I have to deal with some monster here... DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO MAKE HER AS VIOLENT AS THAT?!" I shouted in a helpless and angry tone.

 **" Bwahahahaha! You'll be fine! Trust me! Maybe... Hey, as long as you have Monika I'm sure you'll be fine! Probably..."**

" What the fuck do you mean by 'probably'? You know what...*sigh*... forget about it." I shake my head in frustration.

 **" Anyways, I have something to tell you. Now that I'm no longer there, your wounds and injuries won't heal that fast anymore. You also won't be able to escape the law and other crap like that.** **So... Go get insurance or something."**

" Solid piece of advice. Thanks..."

 **" Hahahaha! Anyways, be careful... I fear that bad things is about to- Ah! What in the world?! Holy crap! It exploded-"** My head was filled with a ringing sound, causing me to feel nauseous and dizzy. I had to take a sit due to my dizziness. After a while, the ringing sound stopped yet I still felt nauseous.

" Damn god! What the fuck did you just do to me?! Ugh... I think I'm gonna be sick." I bury my head in my arms to take a nap.

 **Outside the** **clubroom**

" Holy shit, Yoku's lost it!"

" Shhh! Yosuke, be quiet... He might hear you." Amy and Yosuke slowly backs away from the door. They were about to enter the room when they heard Yoku talking to himself.

" Let's just come back later." Amy whispers to Yosuke. Yosuke nods in response.

" Let's go tell Monika, she knows what to- Oof!" Yosuke stumbles backwards, but Amy catches him before he hits the floor.

" I'm sorry! A-are you ok?" Amy and Yosuke looks at Yuri, her eyes are filled with concern for Yosuke.

" Y-Yeah... It's fine. You going to the club?" Yosuke asks as he stands straight.

'' Mhm. Why?"

" Oh, uhm... well... we won't go in there if we were you. Yoku is... well, going nuts." Amy said as she glances at the door. A pained groan can be heard from inside.

"... I'll g-go talk to him." Yuri says as she went near the door.

" Oh, ok! We'll go get Monika and the others." The two said in unison, only to be stopped by Yuri.

" No! Erm... I... I mean let's not bother them. They might be doing something important. A-And it might hurt Yoku i-if he was seen by the others in his current state." The two glances at each other, before looking at Yuri. Her violet eyes were like those of a puppy, pleading with them to give her some alone time with Yoku.

" Okaaaay, you have a point. We'll leave it to you then... Bye!" The two ran off and left Yuri to deal with Yoku. As they ran, Amy looks back one last time before shivering. When they turned the corner, Amy brought up the thing that has been bugging her lately.

" Hey, have you noticed how... well, weird Yuri is recently?" Amy said as they begin to slow down into a fast walk.

" Yeah... It's probably nothing. But, I just can't feel that something is amiss with her." Yosuke says as he stops walking. Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror and he turns to Amy.

" We... We should call them." Yosuke said as he recalled what he saw earlier. A small, fresh bloodstain on Yuri's sleeve.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

After a few minutes of head splitting pain, it finally disappears. I sigh in relief, thinking that it's finally gone. I wanted to get some more sleep, but I was interrupted by someone knocking on the door. I look up and to my surprise, see Yuri sheepishly poking her head from behind the door. At first, I was glad to finally have some company, but then it hit me. This is Yuri, on the day she is supposed to confess, and we're all alone in a room."

" H-Hello! U-Uhm... Are the o-others not yet here?" Yuri timidly said as she entered the room.

" N-No... Monika and the others are not yet finished with the... questioning." I clench my fists to try and hide my anger.

Earlier today, we were asked to proceed to the faculty so the police could question us. Their investigation revealed that Miss Yuna had dinner with us before she got murdered on her way home, so they had to talk to us about what exactly happened last night. It pains me to think about it, to know that if I only made her stay with us for that night, she would still be alive today, but Natsuki and Sayori is in a worse state than me. Sayori and Natsuki broke down upon hearing the news, so Monika had to take them somewhere to calm them down, leaving me to tend to to the club for a while.

" Oh... I see... _excellent..."_

" Hmm? What was that?"

" Oh! N-N-Nothing! I'm j-just muttering something to myself... Ahaha..." Yuri takes a sit beside me and pulled out her book. Oh no...

" Uhm... Yoku... D-Do you want to r-read my book with me?" She holds up her book and looks at me with anticipation.

" S-Sure..." I said begrudgingly.

" Oh, A-Am I bothering you? I-I'm sorry..." Yuri said in a dissapointed tone. I shake my head in response and immediately stand up.

" N-No! Of course not! I'm just a bit shaken by something. Anyway, you want us to read on the floor today, right?" I smile at her as I glanced over to the spot near the closet.

" H-Huh? Y-Yes... How did you know?" Yuri looks at me with a confused expression.

" Well, slouching over while reading makes my back ache. It's easier to read while leaning on something, and it's good for the posture too, right?" I smile at Yuri. Her face started turning red at my words. Man, I really wanted to hear her say those lines about her back pain. But, well, it is awkward for her.

" Y-Yes... Posture... T-That is correct..." I can't help but chuckle as Yuri gets flustered.

" Hahaha, why don't we flip the script a bit, huh? I'll go brew the Oolong tea you like so much while you go ahead and sit on the floor while being dumbfounded." I laugh as Yuri tried to make sense of what is happening. She scratched her head and walked towards the spot where she wanted to read the book together.

I watched the way she walked- No, limped her way to the corner of the room. As I took the tea set from the cabinet, I kept glancing at her to observe what the hell she is doing. I could clearly see the bloodstains on her sleeves, the scratches on her legs and the little tears on her uniform. It seems she was having fun while she skipped school. I took the pitcher inside the cabinet... man this is a huge cabinet.

" Oh! L-Let me help you with that, Yoku. I'll go fetch-" Yuri was about to stand up, but I shook my head at her.

" Nope! You go sit there and do nothing while I go ahead and fill this thing with hot water. Ok?" I say as I open the door. I remember this scene from the game, the one where I see Yuri cuts herself before the roll back.

" And Yuri..."

" Y-Yes?"

" Please don't cut yourself while I'm gone." I said before leaving the room.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

A large pool of blood can be seen on the floor, along with an unmoving, limp and seemingly lifeless body. She's not dead, not yet at least. Her soft breathing can be heard inside the empty house. A little while ago, she blacked out from blood loss, yet she miraculously survived losing a litre of blood. Like a scene from some horror movie, the fingers of the girl began to twitch, followed by her coughing violently. Suddenly, her eyes open to reveal her bright gold eyes that glimmered in the darkness.

" Ugh... I ... sustained damage... to 8% of my body..." Maido groans as she begins to stand up. Her hands and feet are unsteady, causing her to wobble a bit as she pulled herself up.

" Hmm... I see... I've lost around a litre and a half of blood... I should be dead right now..." Maido mutters to herself as she looks at her wounds.

" Interesting, biological organisms are easily susceptible to damage. Thankfully, I've been engineered to handle this kind of damage." Maido says as she applies some pressure on the gash near her right side. She winces at the pain of the having her wound.

" I... I see... Akami-sama, you tried to make me as close to a human as possible. This the first time I've felt such pain... Hmph! *Blegh*" Maido vomits out some blood on the floor, messing up the carpet on the living room.

" I... I need to stitch myself up and get some rest. Perhaps some other day, I'll be able to trade blows with you again, Yuri." She said as she wipes away the blood from her mouth. She looks out the window and frowns.

" Yoku... Be careful." Maido said as she turns to look at the mess she made in the living room floor, carpets and the kitchen floors as well.

" I'll need to clean this... later. I need to take a nap."

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

I finish filling the pitcher with some hot water. I pass by the hallway where the MC saw Yuri's lacerations on her arm. It sent a small shiver down my spine. I know that the art is nothing compared to the real thing. I quickly made my way to the clubroom, careful as not to spill any of the water inside the pitcher. I open the door to see Yuri drawing lines on her left wrist using the pen I gave her. She was a bit surprised at my intrusion, but she managed to calm herself in an instant.

" Ahaha~ Did I scare ya?" I ask as I place the pitcher down on the shelf.

" Y-Yeah... I was a bit startled, but I'm fine." Yuri said as she stands up, fixing her skirt as she walks over.

" Hehe, sorry. I didn't mean to, I should've knocked first." I said to her in a soft tone. She shakes her head and smiles.

" It's... alright. I shouldn't be doing such things in public." She sighs as she stands beside me and hands me the Oolong Tea leaves.

After that, there was only an awkward silence between us as I made the tea. She kept twirling a strand of her hair in her fingers while we waited for the tea to infuse with the water. I'd see her glance at me from time to time, but I ignored it. Her usual calm and composed aura would sometimes feel different, it would feel heavy and suffocating from time to time. After a few minutes, the tea is finally ready for us to enjoy while we are reading. I carefully place the cups beside us before we sat on the floor. She opened her book and we begin to read quietly, each of us holding one half of the book. No words were being exchanged between us, probably because I didn't want to talk with her. Not right now at least, I still don't know how I should feel about her.

Only the sounds of our breathing and

pages turning can be heard in the room. We were engrossed on the horrific novel before us, each chapter pulling us into it's plot. I didn't even notice that we were so close together that our shoulders were touching. I try my best not to accidentally brush against her chest to avoid anymore awkward situations. Although, she may not notice it since her face is wearing that intense expression she has when she reads a book. I can only assume now that her mind has left this reality and is now visualizing the scenes of the book.

After a few minutes, I relax a bit. I use my free hand to grab some chocolate candy from... my... pocket...

" Huh? W-When did... I see this before?" I murmur as I look at the two pieces of chocolate candy. Then it hit me, this is what happened on the day where Yuri fucking committed seppuku!

" I-Is there something wrong, Yoku?" Yuri asked with a concerned tone.

"... No. It's nothing." I said as I put the two pieces of candy back in my pocket.

" Hmm? Is that chocolate candy? Ah... uh... I-I'm not going to ask for some! So, please don't hesitate to eat!" Yuri smiles as she looked at me and my chocolates. Shit, I just followed the game's script! Wait a minute, maybe... maybe I could do something about this...

" Ah, it's ok. You can have some if you... want..." I weakly said to her as I offer her some a piece of chocolate. She shakes her head in response. But before she could say anything, I quickly unwrap the chocolate from it's wrapper.

" Say 'Ahh'." I say as I lift the piece of chocolate from its wrapper.

" Eh?! Ah... Y-Yoku... I don't think that is appropriate-"

" Ssshhh! That's an order. Now... Ahh!" I said sternly, causing Yuri to shake a little bit.

" Y-Yes... Ahh~" Yuri opens her mouth and I place the candy in it. She quickly closes her mouth and looks away from me. Her face is completely red, as expected from what I just did.

" Now, shut up and read. Geez, and don't do anything crazy. I seriously want to read this interesting part." I said as I look at the book on our laps. I was about to touch the page when I noticed that my hands have chocolate on them.

" Yuri... If you don't mind, c-can you hold the book for me... Uh... I might mess up your book if I touch it." I said as I wipe the chocolate off my fingers with my handkerchief.

" S-Sure..." Yuri said as she took hold of the book. Her hand is resting on my left lap, just like the damn scene in the game.

" A-Ah.." Yuri starts to breathe heavily... Oh shit, here it comes. The scene where Yuri has those creepy and surreal eyes as she looks at me.

" I... I can't... Yoku..." Suddenly, Yuri forcefully grabs my arm and jerks me to my feet, knocking my tea cup over. But, this is all part of the plan.

" Yoku..." Yuri clenches her chest.

" My heart won't stop pounding, Yoku..." She looks me straight in the eye. Her gaze is filled with longing and lust.

" I can't calm down! I can't focus in anything anymore...!" She takes a step forward.

" Can you feel it Yoku?" She takes my hand and presses it against her chest.

 _Holy shit! C-Calm down... Calm down... Monika would arrive just as this conversation ends... right?_ I thought to myself as I begin to sweat profusely.

" Why is this happening to me? I feel like I'm losing my mind. How can I make it stop?!" I shiver and quake a bit, yet I tried my best not to show it. Yuri looks at me intensely.

" It even makes me not want to read..." She closes the gap between us. Her face now inches away from mine, her bloodshot eyes stared intently into mine.

" I just want... To look... At you~" Her violet eyes stared deep into mine, sending a chill down my back. Her chest pressed unto mine as she pushed herself unto me. It sent goosebumps down my skin, and I begin to break in cold sweat.

"... Haah..." Yuri takes hold of my hand.

"... Haah..." She then starts leaning forward.

"... Haah..." She puts a leg forward between mine.Okay, this is enough!

I try to push her away, but she suddenly overpowers me and pushed me down. In a blink of an eye, she got on top of me and pinned down my arms. She pants as she stares at my face with those lustful eyes. Her sweat drips on my face, along with a few drops of her drool. She sat atop my legs, straddling it while she immobilized me. I could feel the thumping sound of her heart, it was beating so fast. This monster... is in heat... and things are not going according to plan.

" Yoku~ I... I want you!"

She suddenly presses herself on me. Her soft, plump breasts brush against my chest. I struggled, but to no avail.She leaned forward, her lips parted as she tried to kiss me. I pull away, hoping she wouldn't kiss me, but she continued to press forward. But, mere millimeters away from my lips, she stopped. Her lustful gaze is now that of anger and rage as she pulled away and looked at the front of the room. I look up and saw, from the darkness of this room, a pair of emerald green eyes glowed with fury. The wind blew inside the room, pushing aside the curtains to let the redish hue of the afternoon in. It revealed a figure with the long, beautiful brown hair tied with a puffy white bow that I loved so much. Yuri snickered as she got off me.

" Monika." Yuri said as she stands up straight and glares at her.

" Hello, Yuri... May I ask, what are you doing with **MY** darling?"


	37. Confrontation Part Two

As the two stared each other down, I immediately got up and dusted myself off. I look around the room, seeing the small crack in the door beside Monika. Four pairs of eyes looked through it to see what is going on inside. I was about to head out when Monika finally looks at me, her gaze is now that of warmth and kindness. Her serious expression melted away and she smiled kindly towards me.

" Yoku... Sorry I wasn't able to get here earlier. Don't worry, I'll handle this." Monika gestured for me to come to her side. Like a puppy finding its master, I immediately run towards her.

" A-Ah! N-No..." Yuri wanted to hold me, but she hesitated.

" Yuri, I'd hate to break it to you but... This little puppy is _my_ toy. See?" Monika pets me and messes up my hair.

" I-I'm not your toy!" I said as I hid behind Monika.

" Ahaha~ Reeeeally? If I recall... You just kept following my whims and lead every night in bed! Ahaha!" Monika said teasingly to me. We hear a collective gasp from outside and a desk being knocked over.

"Pardon me... but may you elaborate on what you just said?" Yuri says as she composes herself.

" Are you sure that this is the right time to tell them?!"

" I'm sure that now is the time to unveil to them about our relationship, ahaha~" Monika giggles as she wraps her arm around my shoulder.

" W-What? I... I don't follow..." Yuri says as she clenches her fist. Suddenly, Monika pulls me into an embrace and smirks.

" Oh? Haven't I made it clear already? He's mine and mine alone! He's the only thing in this whole damn world worth living for! My raison d'etre, my lover, my sole reason for making the Literature Club..." She smiled and turned her head towards me.

" But most of all, the only thing I need in this world is just Yoku." After this bold proclamation that puts to shame even the manliest and most romantic confession, Monika grabs me by the collar of my uniform and presses her lips against mine.

I was shocked at first, but all my worries melted away as we exchanged a passionate kiss. At that blissful moment, I lost sight of what is happening around me. Monika's hair and passionate kiss became the curtain to separate my view from the now hectic scene around us. Doors opening and Yosuke, Amy and Natsuki rushing in with their arms flailing around with a scared and serious look on tgeir faces, Sayori looking at the two of us behind her fingers and murmuring something about not seeing anything and Yuri charging at us with raised arms and a knife in her hands... Eh?!

" **DAMN YOU!!!** AAAAAAaaaaaAAAArrrgh!!!" Yuri roared out, before swinging the knife at Monika. Yosuke blocks the blow with a book, causing the knife to be impaled in the poor piece of literature. Amy and Natsuki tackles Yuri to the ground, yet had a hard time having her sit still.

" WHY?! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE MOST SPECIAL THING FOR ME?! WHY MUST YOU TAKE AWAY MY HAPPINESS?!" Yuri screamed out as she desperately tried to claw at Monika. I looked at Monika, and I saw that she still wore that calm expression of hers.

" Yuri! C-Calm dow- Waah!" Natsuki nearly lets go of Yuri's arm due to her thrashing wildly. It was in this moment that Monika and I pull away from each other.

" Like I said... He's mine. Stop this already, Yuri. Can't you take a hint?" Monika calmly said as she wraps her arm around mine.

" I'LL KILL YOU, MONIKAAAAAAA!!!" Yuri bellows out as she shakes off the two girls on her, before running towards Monika.

" Monika!" I shout out as I step between her and Yuri.

" Yuri... Pease... Stop this already..." I whimper out as I held my arms outstretched.

Yuri slows down, yet it is still clear her anger has not yet subsided. She begins to shake and breathe heavily.

" M-May I... Speak with Yoku... alone?" Yuri stammers out, her voice quivers due to her being on the verge of tears.

" Oh Yuri... Guys, give us a minute." I said as I walk over to Yuri.

" What?! N-No! How could I-"

" Monika... Give us a moment." I said as I stand in front of Yuri. Now that I'm up close, I cn see the little droplets of tears in the corners of Yuri's eyes.

"... Fine... Okay, everyone... Let's give these two some privacy." Monika sighs and walks out the door, she looks back at me, her eyes have a hint of concern. They all get out of the room and close the door behind them.

An awkward silence fell between us. Her hands shake as as she stood in front of me, unmoving and silent. I could her a few sobs and sniffles from time to time, yet I said nothing. I didn't know what to say, and I was cautious at what Yuri is about to do. I nearly jump back in surprise when she suddenly raises her hands to wipe away the tears on her face. She looked up and revealed a smile, a smile of one who has acknowledge their defeat. She took something from her pocket, and walked up to me. Without saying a word, she took hold of my hand and placed the pen I gave her and a piece of paper.

" I... I wrote that poem for you... Now that I think about it... I don't think you'll like it. But... Please, read it... For my sake." She steps back and anxiously waits for me to read the poem. I unfold the piece of paper, and saw that it is covered in blood and urine. Oh... It's... It's this poem...

" I wanted to give that to you later... But I see it now... Ahaha... My feelings will never be returned to me..." Yuri sat on a table and sighed. She looked out of the window, trying her best to keep the tears inside her eyes.

" I don't know why... But how could you choose someone else over a person who is willing to make their entire life revolve around you... It is illogical..." Yuri begins to cry once again. I gulped, and begin to walk over to her.

" I loved you so much... Yoku... I wanted to cut myself open and put you in me so I could be one with you... I wanted to cut my skin with the paper you gave me so that your oil could enter my body. I even touch myself with the pen you gave me... Ahaha... I'm so disgusting..." Yuri said in a pitiful and sad tone. The reddish hue of dusk gave off a sad and bitter atmosphere in the room.

" The only thing I want in this world, is your love..." Yuri said quietly, her words are calm yet chilling.

" Yuri... You cannot call that love. Harming yourself and others, doing things like that, that is fanaticism.That is obsession... An unhealthy obsession..." I say as I stand beside her. Her eyes and cheeks are now red as tears trailed down to her chin.

" I have only one thing to say to you, Yuri... I reject your confession... Not because I don't like you or because of Monika, it's because... You do not have the slightest grasp on what love truly is." I said sternly, yet my voice and body still quivered in fear.

" I see... I guess... I've... I've been rejected... Ahaha..." Yuri laugh and stares into the distance. Her violet eyes are now empty, devoid of reason and hope.

" Ahaha..." Yuri grabs something from her pocket.

" AHAHA!" I see something glimmer in her hands. My eyes widened in realization, Yuri is holding a knife.

" AAHAHAHAHAHAAAHHHAAH!"

Everything is a blur, I just pushed aside the tables as I pounced on her. She was in the middle of plunging her knife into her stomach when I took hold of it. Her clothes begin to take on a color of crimson, the tip of the knife is embedded into her, but that is not the main source of the blood. In the heat of the moment, I have grabbed the sharp blade of the knife, it's edge now painfully cutting into my palm and fingers, it hurts so much but I maintained my grip. Her eyes are filled with surprise and horror at what just happened, yet she still continued to try and push the knife into her. Even with all of my strength, I'm surprised at how strong Yuri is. My hands were about to give way, so I had to resort to another plan.

" Yuri... You... You fool!" I shout as I planted my knee into her groin. She immediately lets go, groans in pain and stammer backwards.

" Y-Yoku... Just... Let me do this!" Yuri shrugs off my hit and pounces on me, wrestling me for the knife in my bloody grip.

" N-No! Let... Go!" I yank away the knife from her grasp and threw a soft punch into her stomach. She falls to the floor, holding her stomach, it seems I hit her on the spot where the end of the knife impaled her.

" Oh my god... I'm so-" Yuri suddenly jumps and shoves me asidegoing after the knife at my feet. She successfully takes it and stands on her feet.

" Please! Let me do this! I... I have no reason to live anymore! After... After what I've done... I can't live anymore! AAAAAAARGGGHHH!" Yuri raises the knife and yelled out a cry of anger and despair. This horrific scene spurred me to my feet and in a flash, I found myself hugging Yuri while her knife found itself imbedded deep into my shoulder.

" A-Ah...! Ah! Y-Yoku! Y-Your... Your blood! Ah... Aaaah... I hurt you... No..." Yuri panted out as I embraced her tightly. I could feel her voice alternate from that of lust to concern.

" Yeah... You did... I bet Monika's gonna kill me for this... But, you know... It's also my fault." I said to her a pained groan. Her uniform is now covered in blood due to my wounds.

" No... I... I didn't want... I didn't want this..." Yuri buried her head on my chest as I hug her tightly.

" Neither did I, but you damn idiot... Why did you have to do this?" I said as I rub her head to comfort her.

" Aaah... Your blood... and mine... mixing together... Aaah... Your soft embrace, it warms me... Please, lets.. stay like this for a while..." Yuri said as she begins to return my embrace.

A moment of awkward silence fell between us as Yuri bawled on my uniform while I stroke her long, purple hair to give her comfort.

" Why... Why do you do this? Why would you go to such lengths, such pain, to help me?" Yuri spoke softly, her voice cracked and quivered as she said those words.

" I... I... I don't... I don't want to see someone so valuable get hurt like this..." I whisper as I continue to embrace her.

" But... But my hands... My hands have already been stained by the blood of people close to you... Am... Am I still valuable?" Yuri said as she clenches her fist.

"... Yes. You're still a valuable member of the Literature Club. Though you have committed atrocities in the name of love, you are still precious to us." I said in a soft tone as not to frighten her.

" Even if... Even if you have found out about my past and my sins, will you still forgive me? Even when you know that I have killed people to try and get the love I wanted, only for it to be in vain, will you be able to forgive that?" Yuri asked in a fearful tone.

" Yes, I'm sure I will forgive you."

" Then... I'm glad..."

After a while, Yuri finally calms down. I called the others in so that we may be able to talk it out with Yuri in a civilized manner. As the door knob twists and rattles, I take a look at my hands. Geez, Monika might kill Yuri for this later. I ready myself for the verbal beat down that is about to happen.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

" Ahahaha! Finally, now you could move on to the next girl, Yoku!" Akami-sama laughed in joy as he saw the whole scene unfold.

" Man, that was a frightening week! Well, I'm sure Yoku would easily find out who this fou- Huh? W-What?! No! This can't be..."

Akami-sama's eyes widened at the door behind him. This door, would allow him to continue his own journey if Yoku is successful in his mission. But, before him is a message, a message that nearly gave the god a heart attack.

" Tsk! Y-Yoku... You have merely survived the dusk. The night is still long... You must endure..." Akami-sama said ominously as he returned to work on something else. On the door, lay a message **Condition not yet met.** **Condition= Save the girls.** **Girls saved=2/4**


	38. Out of the frying pan, into the fire

Monika was the first to enter the room, followed by Sayori and Natsuki then the couple behind them entered, closing the door behind them. They laid their eyes on the blood soaked sleeve of my blazer. Natsuki and Sayori gasp and froze in horror while Monika rushed over to my side to tend to my wounds. She shot an angry look at Yuri before examining the small gash on my shoulder and the large cuts on my palms and fingers.

" Yuri!!! What did you do?!" Monika's composure was thrown away to show an angry and protective side of hers. Yuri looked down at the floor and kept twirling a strand of her hairs between her fingers.

" I'm... I'm... I'm sorry..." Yuri spoke in a hushed tone. But it seems, this apology angered Monika even more.

" What the fuck do you mean you're sorry?! DO YOU THINK YOUR SORRY CAN STITCH UP HIS WOUNDS?!" Monika shouted at Yuri while holding me in her arms.

" It's... my fault... Argh! It stings!" Monika recoiled from her touch, her hand accidentally touched the gash on my shoulder.

" W-What do you mean?" Monika asked as she wipes away the tears in her eyes.

" I... tried my best to stop her... I can't just sit back and look at Yuri get disemboweled!" I said as I try to stand up, fighting the urge to collapse on the floor.

" Yoku... You idiot..." Natsuki muttered as she took a look at the gash on my shoulder.

" Geez, this is disgusting. I'll go get some bandages... God, what a moron... nearly getting yourself killed..." Natsuki said to me in angry tone, but I knew she was just masking her concern for me with that attitude of hers.

" I'll... I'll go get some water!" Sayori recovers from her shock and accompanies Natsuki on her way to the nurse's office.

" We'll... We'll go clean up this mess..." Amy and Yosuke said as they went out of the room to grab some cleaning supplies.

There was a tense atmosphere inside the room. Yuri stood alone in a corner of the room in silence as she watched Monika and I tend to my wounds. Monika would glare at her everytime she tried to walk towards us, causing her to just keep still and keep her worries to herself. I took off my blazer and pulled down my sleeve and took a good look at the damage. It's pretty deep, though I don't think it would cause any severe damage. The lacerations on my hands however... I don't think I'll be able to draw or write for a while. Monika sighs and rubs her eyes in frustration.

" Damn it... Do you know how much trouble this will get me? Sigh~" Monika pouts before turning her head towards Yuri.

" What in the actual fuck, Yuri?! You can't just commit seppuku after you get rejected! And you fucking tried to kill yourself in front of Yoku! of course he is gonna stop you! He's too damn nice to let that happen!" Monika scolded Yuri, who shrank away in guilt.

" I... I thought it would be better... If... If I just die... I'm sorry..." Yuri said in a soft tone.

" Tsk, once we clean this up, I'm dismissing the Literature Club for today. I don't think Yoku would even be able to hold a pen with those cuts in his hands." Monika said while shaking her head.

"Monika... Look, she regrets what she did... Just let it go already. There's no point in scolding her now..." I said before letting out a heavy sigh. Monika fell silent, yet I could see she still wanted to say some more things to Yuri.

" Yuri, I don't know what would happen to you now... But what I do know is this. You better be prepared for the consequences of your actions." I warned Yuri with a stern voice. She merely nods in acknowledgement.

After a while, the others came back with some stuff. Natsuki and Monika immediately set to work on patching me up, Sayori bought some water for me to drink and Amy and Yosuke began to clean up the bloody mess we just made. As the club became hectic at what they're doing, Yuri picked up her stuff from the floor and ran out. I could see droplets of tears trickle down to the floor as she dashed away from us. Sayori and Natsuki wanted to run after her, but Monika urged them not to.

" Yuri probably needs time for herself... And... well... It's scary to chase after someone like her." Monika told them as she applied some disinfectant on my wound.

" Argh! It stings!" I yell out before recoiling from Monika.

" Hold... still! It's for your own good!" Monika said as she grabs my shoulder and pours another drop of the liquid. This time, I suppress my urge to jump in pain.

I felt Natsuki hold my hand. I turn my gaze towards her and I see that she is carefully examining my palms.

" Soooo... You gonna tell me my future? Ahahaha- Ouch!" Natsuki pours some alcohol on my hand.

" Tch, idiot... Making jokes even when he is in a pretty bad shape..." Natsuki mutters as she takes some bandages and wraps it around my hand.

" Just cause I'm bleeding to death, doesn't mean I should stop making jokes... Ahahaha!" I laugh, trying my best to lift up everyone's spirits. It seems the only response I got are awkward smiles or just silence.

" Dumb Yoku..." Sayori murmurs as she uncap a bottle of water.

" We're all worried about you, so please take this a little more seriously." Sayori's usual cheerful and happy demeanor is gone. Her expression is now that of concern and worry, along with a few hints of sadness.

" That's... That's the point, Sayori. You guys are too worried about me. I... I don't want that... You guys get sad when you worry about me." I said as I lift up my free hand to pet her. I stop inches away from Sayori, remembering that my hand still has some fresh blood dripping from.it.

" Tch... We can't just bandage you like this... You need stitches." Monika said as she stands up.

" Thankfully, I have some at home. Yosuke, Amy, can I leave this to you guys? After this, you guys better go home." Monika asked as she hands me my blazer.

" Sure. Patching Yoku up is the top priority. But... Why not take him to the nurse's office?" Amy asks as she wipes away some blood from the table.

" How will we explain how he got his injuries? I'm still not sure about what to do with Yuri..." Monika says as she rubs her forearm and looks away.

" I... I see... It may not be the best decision, but at least we'll get some time to think about what we should do." Yosuke said while he mopped the floors.

" T-Thanks... And, be careful when you guys go home... Okay?" Monika said to them as she helped me to my feet.

After that, we packed up our things and begin to slowly walk home.

 ***DDLC:Our Reality***

The walk home is silent, and no one dared to break it. As we walked, the people around us shot me a concerned look. Well, if your sleeve has a large spot of blood, I'm sure you'd attract some attention to yourself. Thankfully, we managed to get home quickly to avoid any more of the annoying stares I'm getting. Natsuki went ahead of us and opened the door to my house. Suddenly, she screeched in horror and stumbled backwards before scurrying towards us. Her face was pale, it was like she had seen all three episodes of Boku no Pico. We ran over to her and helped her to her feet. She raised a trembling finger towards the interior of my house. We look over there, and we saw a terrifying scene in front of us, a scene that would forever etch itself into my mind.

Blood... It's sickening crimson color lined the floor and walls of the small corridor that led to the living room and kitchen. We could see that it was already dried up, meaning it's been a while since it was splattered over the fine wallpaper of my house.

" M-Maybe... Maido d-dropped some tomatoes again... Like last time... Right?" Sayori said in a trembling voice.

" Lets.. Lets hope so." I said as we begin to walk inside.

As I took a closer look, I'm now sure that this isn't tomatoes. The smell alone already told me that this is blood. Natsuki had to rush over to the kitchen to vomit, while Sayori refused to enter the house in fear of seeing a dead body. We look around, seeing some blood and vomit stains in my carpet, along with bloody hand and foot prints on the floor and walls. Fear and dread filled me as I peeked into the living room. My mind raced with images of Maido's corpse or the bloody scene that would fill my eyes. Every step I take, I too wanted to vomit and get away from here. The bloody trail leading into my living room sent chills and shivers down my spine and I could feel goosebumps all over me. My hair was standing on end, my cold sweat dripping profusely as I poke my head into the living room. I pushed back the horrific images in my mind to the furthest reaches of my subconscious as I open my eyes and take a good look at the scene before me.

 _ **Snooooore~**_

Laying there, facedown on the sofa, is a girl with blonde hair wearing a Magical Girl Costume that is clearly brand new. I could see that she had a fresh bandage on her back, near her right side. She snored heavily as she slept on the sofa.

" _Thank goodness~!"_ I said out loud before collapsing on the floor in relief. The thud of my impact woke up Maido from her slumber, who frantically looked around as she jolted up from her sleep.

" Yoku! A-Ah... I'm sorry! I'm sorry for making a mess!" Maido stumbles unto the floor and begins bowing her head repeatedly.

I look up at her, now seeing what kind of outfit she is wearing. She wore an exposing piece of cloth, like, really exposing. Her top exposed her midriff, and probably a bit of her flat chest. I think the costume was supposed to reveal some of a girl's underboob, but I guess it doesn't work on Maido since she is as flat as a board. The top is decorated with numerous frills along the sides, and its buttons are pink, heart shaped buttons. It had a pink collar that covered her shoulders, typical of the sailor uniform based costumes of the magical girls. On her chest is a large red ribbon in the middle that hid the tip of the V-neck that would have shown her nonexistent cleavage. Its sleeves are puffy and frilly, it only covered the part near her shoulders and left the rest of her arms exposed. She wore white gloves that extended to her elbows. She wore an extremely short, pleated, pink skirt that reached only a few inches above her knee. It's so short that when she moves around, I could catch glimpses of her striped blue panties. She also wore pink boots with small wings on its side.

" Uhm... What are you-"

" Oh. My. God..." Natsuki stammers over towards us. Her eyes are filled with amazement as she looks at Maido.

" Is... Is that... Minori... from Parfait Girls?" Natsuki stopped in front of Maido.

" Yes. I'm a fan of the manga, and I've watched the adaptation." Maido said as she tilted her head at Natsuki. Natsuki shot her a scary and mischievous grin.

" KYAAAAAAAHH!!!" Maido screeched out as Natsuki began to lift up her clothes and touching the fabric.

" Y-Yoku... Monika... Is... Is it ok to go in now?" Sayori asked loudly from outside of the house.

" Yeah... But watch your step!" I shout out as I stand up, clutching the wound on my shoulder. I hear Monika rummaging trough the cabinets in the kitchen before walking over to the living room.

" Eeek! I... I'm going to go eat in the kitchen! AAAHH!" Sayori jumped around like some frightened kitten. I guess she can't handle the sight of this mess.

" Maido... Before you tell me what just happened, where did you put the first aid kit?" Monika asked as she looks at Maido, who is currently being poked and inspected by Natsuki.

" At... Ah! At the bathroom... Geez~ That... That tickles! Ahaha~ Stooooop!" Maido whines as she runs away from Natsuki. Monika runs upstairs to get the medical supplies in the bathroom.

I took a sit on the sofa, and I'm glad there isn't any blood on the damn thing. I see Sayori entering the house while covering her eyes and avoiding the blood on the floor. I chuckle and take a look around the room. In a small corner, I can see that there are bags there with Maido's new clothes in them. I was about to ask her about it when Monika rushes over to me and plops herself beside me. She pushes me down on my face and immediately starts taking off my clothes.

" What the f- What are you doing?!"

" Shut up and let me stitch you up! I need to do this quickly." Monika said as she finally takes off my blazer and pulls down the sleeve of my uniform.

" Hmm? Yoku... were you attacked by Yuri too?" Maido said before gently pushing Natsuki away. We all turned our head towards her. Even Sayori rushed out of the kitchen with a cookie in her mouth, wide eyed at what she just heard.

" What... What do you mean by 'too'?" I ask anxiously, awaiting her response.

" Oh, the reason there is so much blood here, and the obvious reason I have this..." Maido pulls up her sleeve to reveal a bandage covering her shoulder and lifts up a part of her top to show a bandage wrapped around her waist.

" Is because Yuri stabbed me after I bumped into her." Maido said in a calm manner, like it was just a normal thing for her.

" Wait... You bumped into Yuri?! Well, that explains the reason her clothes is a bit dirty and why her sleeves have small bloodstains on them." I said in shock. Maido nods and walks towards me. Monika recovers from her shock and continued to stitch up the large gash on my shoulder.

" How... How are you not dead?!" Natsuki asked loudly as she looks at Maido's wounds.

" I don't know, probably due to my toughness, ahaha~" Maido said as she walks away towards the kitchen.

" Just... Just what are you?" Natsuki asked with a baffled expression. Suddenly, Maido twirls around and poses like magical girl, with a peace sign and a cheerful smile on her face.

" I'm Maido the house maid! Here to serve you in the name of Akami-sama! Teehee~" We all gave her a long stare yet she kept her pose. After a moment, all of us broke out in laughter.

" Ahaha! That... That doesn't suit you! Ahaha! I thought you didn't know how to make jokes! Ahahaha!" Natsuki laughed out, her face now red from laughing.

" Ehehe, I thought it might sound cool." Maido let out a chuckle as she looks around. The smile on her face disappeared as she saw the bloodstains everywhere.

" I'll go clean the mess I made before I start cooking... Damn, this bandages are annoying." Maido said before going to the supply cabinet and taking out some cleaning supplies.

I wince a little as Monika finishes up stitching me. She wipes away the sweat on her face before getting off me. She puts away the first aid kit and collapses on top of me. I adjust myself so that she could lay herself on my chest and make it easier for me to embrace her. She had a serious and troubled look on her face as she laid her head on my chest. I stroke her head to try and ease her, yet she still looked troubled.

" Hey, what's wrong?" I tilt her chin up so I could take a look at her. She looks at me and holds my hand.

" I'm just... I'm worried about you..." She said in a low and soft tone, her sadness and worry can clearly be felt.

" Sorry... Forcing the events didn't really work out as I intended... " I said as I pull her into an embrace.

" What did you expect?! You just made that death scene come a lot sooner! Thankfully you managed to stop that from happening..." Monika sighs and gets off me.

" Although you got hurt in your attempt, I have to admit, you still pulled it off." Monika said with a pout.

" This... This is nothing! Ahahaha... haha.. ha... Okay fine, it's a joke! Stop looking at me like that, it hurts more to see you angry than to get stabbed." I said before getting up from the sofa. Monika then begins to softly punched me in the stomach.

" Reckless idiot!" I chuckle as Monika continued to punch me in the stomach.

" Tch, get a room you two!!!" Natsuki shouts out as she reads some manga on her phone.

" Don't be like that, Natsuki! I, too, felt sad when I found out the the two of them had a thing for each other! But, as friends, it is our duty to support them as best we can! Probably..." Sayori said as she places a tray of cookies beside Natsuki.

" Probably? What do you mean by probably?! You need to support your friends' relationship 100 percent!" I said loudly as I take a look at Sayori's direction.

" Ehehe... Not everything you two do should be alright for us..." Sayori poked her two fingers together and looked at the side while laughing nervously.

" Yeah, like the damn loud moaning you two make at night!" Natsuki shouted before standing up and stomping her foot.

" I CAN'T GET MY SLEEP IF I COULD HEAR THE TWO OF YOU SHOUTING EACH OTHER'S NAME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!" Natsuki shouted out before folding her arms.

" How the hell could I grow if I can't get sleep." She muttered out. I could see Maido nod in agreement as she mops the floor.

" Yes, yes... Cleaning the bed sheets is also a hustle... and gross..." Maido said out loud before sighing.

" And cleaning the living room is annoying when dust falls from the ceiling every night." She walks away and heads to the back to rinse out the blood from the mop.

" I'll... I'll go cook dinner..." I said as I walk over to the kitchen. My face is flushed after hearing those things. I look over at Monika, she is standing in place like a statue with a dumbfounded expression.

" _I wish I could hide in the eternal classroom right now..."_ Monika said softly before taking a sit on the sofa. She took a pillow and slammed her face against it and let out a muffled scream.

" I... I think we just broke Monika..." Natsuki whispered to Sayori, who nods in response.

" Monika! Cheer up! Here, have a cookie!" Sayori flings a cookie at Monika from across the room. Monika didn't hear her heads up so she ended up getting hit by a cookie on her face. This finally gets her out of her trance and she starts looking at the cookie in confusion.

I laugh as I hear Natsuki and Sayori laugh in amusement while Monika promptly starts scolding them about how rude that was. I smile, enjoying the peaceful moments right in front of me. I look at the contents of my refrigerator, it seems I'm going to cook some Italian food for tonight.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

In the midst of a dark room in which the scent of Jasmine lingers in the air, a soft breathing and sobbing can be heard. Yuri held back her tears, yet some still flowed down her cheeks. Tears of both agony and heartbreak welled up in her eyes as she slit her wrists and arms. She winced as she cut deep into her arm, blood has now splattered all over her bed sheets. She lets out a sigh of dismay and plants her knife deep into a pillow.

" Yoku... If only I could be with you... Maybe you could feel just as good as me when I cut myself..." Yuri sprawled herself on her bed and stared into the ceiling.

" Wait a minute..." Yuri suddenly jolts up from her bed. Her eyes glimmering from her brilliant yet insane idea.

" If... If... If I am able to show Yoku just how good this feels, maybe he'll become infatuated with me!" Yuri jumps from her bed and jitters in excitement.

" Ahaha! Yes! If I could show him how good this feels, maybe he'll choose to be with me instead! AHAHAHA! YES!" Yuri hops around in excitement.

" Yoku... Ahaha! You may have rejected me, but I'll keep on fighting! So wait for me..." As Yuri calms down a little, she takes a deep breath and sits down on her bed.

" I... I need to calm myself down... I... I'm getting too wet from the thought of Yoku being in love with me..." Yuri cannot fight her urges, so a hand sneaks its way towards her lower half.

" Ahhhhh... Yoku... Haah..." Sounds of ecstasy and moaning can be heard from her room.

At the same time, the figure watching all of this thought to himself...

 _What an idiotic idea... But it would make for a great chapter in this story... Ahaha!_

Akami-sama laughed as he opens up a command console. A small line of code can be seen typed in it.

" This might come in handy tomorrow... Ahaha! Looks like I'll get to see Yoku sooner than I thought."


	39. Long Weekend

I prepare the ingredients for Pasta Aglio e Olio, a dish from the movie my brother and I once saw. Okay, let's see... garlic, olive oil, parsley and a lemon, seems about right. I set to work on making this dish. I bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil, and while that comes to a boil I start peeling off the skin of the garlic. After that is done, I start mincing it very finely. I set that aside and begin to pick off the parsley leaves off their stems, after which I chop it off into nice, fine bits. I place the pasta noodles into the boiling water and in a large pan, I added half a cup of olive oil. Once it's shimmering, I place the garlic in it and I sauteed it until it's almost brown. I turned off the fire and added the chili flakes. I continue to brown the garlic until it is toasted, then I added the pasta along with some of the pasta water before adding the parsley. A big squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper and we're done! I plate five plates on the table with the pasta and walked over to the living room.

" Guys! Pasta is ready!" I look over and saw the three girls having a conversation in the corner while Maido folded up the carpet. I could slightly hear the giggles and whispers the three exchanged.

" How about you Natsuki? Do you like Yoku too?"

" HUH?! As if I'd fall for a dense idiot like him! H-He i-isnt e-even my t-t-type... or anything..." Natsuki pouted and puffed out her cheeks. As they laughed, they failed to notice that I am inching towards them.

" Ouch! That hurt you know! You little tsundere! I'm not that dense!" I said as I plop myself down beside Monika.

" Besides, I might get confused for a lolicon if I made any moves on you... And I'm also pretty sure it won't just be Yuri that would be out to get you if I chose you to be my girlfriend." I laugh before ruffling her pink hair.

" I DON'T LOOK LIKE A LITTLE KID!" Natsuki huffed.

" But... You do look like a little kid. Ehehe~" Sayori teased before promptly being grabbed by the shoulders and shaken lightly by an angry Natsuki.

" Ahaha! Anyways, dinner's getting cold." I said as I stand up and stretch my arms a little. We all went to the dining table and begin to eat.

We ate our meal as we talked cheerfully with each other. It was as if the events that unfolded earlier has faded from our memories, like it was all just some nightmare waiting to be forgotten. Though the meal may be delicious, what I enjoyed the most is the company of everyone here. But, even if my surroundings is filled with the brightest smiles or the merriest of laughters, one thought is still eating me from the inside.

Is it done? Is the second act already finished? Shouldn't I spend the weekend with Yuri's body? From what I know, the world will still try to make those endings happen, trough whatever means possible. I twirled my pasta around my fork and ingested it while I ponder about the meaning of all of this... this happiness! It's... It's too good to be true! I bit down on my fork and furrowed my eyebrows in frustration. Something isn't right... It's all... It's all too simple! In the midst of my deep thinking, I felt the room go silent. I look around and saw that everyone was staring intently at me. I smile weakly and chuckle.

" S-Sorry... I was just dissapointed with the taste of the pasta, guess it needs more salt... Ahaha~ Sorry for worrying you guys!" I try to mask my worries by telling this lie. Everyone shook their head at me.

" What are you talking about, Yoku?! This is delicious!" Sayori said before slurping the last ounce of her pasta.

" Sayori's right! This is so damn good! But... I'm still the chef for the club, got that? Though... I c-could use a few of your recipes..." Natsuki said with a pout on her face, man her way of complementing someone is strange.

" *Nom*... Delicious...*Nom*" Maido raised a thumbs up as she chewed her food.

" Ehehe, guess I just have high standards..." I said with a nervous smile on my face.

[You're hiding something ]

I look over at Monika, who had a concerned look in her emerald green eyes. I glance at the other three, who is now busy talking with each other. I gave a discreet nod at her and quietly whisper to her that I'll tell her all about it later. She sighs and continues to eat in silence. I wonder how will we deal with Yuri... And how could I phrase that better?

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

After we finished eating dinner, Sayori and Natsuki went home to go finish their assignments. I was hesitant at first, but Maido asked me to let her wash the dishes and replace the carpet even with her wounds. After a while of her begging me to let her do it, I relented and allowed her to go do those chores. Monika teleported back to her own house to go take a shower. I let out a sigh as I enter my bathroom, the water for my bath already ready. I got into the bath tub full of warm water and submerged myself. Man, I wish I have some bath bombs. I looked up to the ceiling and I dive deep into my thoughts.

How will I do this? How will I deal with the aftermath of Yuri's rampage? Tch, to think that Akami-sama made her backstory too messed up. Tsk, couldn't he just made it so that Yuri could have a similar backstory to Yandere-chan? And how will the families of all the people she killed react? Too many questions, so few answers. But, turning her in would be the most logical and best choice. At the moment, she poses a threat to herself and everyone around her. It probably counts as saving her, right?!

" **Hahahaha! I see you're going with the most logical path!** " I hear Akami-sama's voice inside my head.

" HOLY F- WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE YOU PERV?!" I jolt up and cover my private parts in surprise.

" **Ehehe... I just came to say hi and to wish you a happy weekend, that's all** " Akami-sama laughed in glee.

" What the hell do you mean?! And why can't you show yourself?!" I asked angrily, yet my only response is laughter.

" **Well, I'm basically trapped here. Damn simulations! It always deems my presence too destructive for the world**." Akami-sama grumbled a bit.

" **Oh! Anyways, I wish you luck! You better not go insane! Byeeeee** ~" Thankfully, he didn't make my head ache this time. Though his intent may not be harmful, his message is a dark reminder of the things to come.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

I get out of my bath and put on my pajamas. I expected Monika already in my room, eagerly waiting for me. But as I burst trough the door, no one is there to greet me. My dark room has an eerie silence to it as I stepped inside. It's surprisingly chilly inside, probably because I just came out of a nice warm bath. I took a sit in front of my computer and sighed.

" I need to finish Nekopara..." I mutter to myself as I open my computer. I was about to click on the icon when I notice the folder with all the data about Yuri. I click on it out of curiosity. I see a folder with 'Cult Information' as its title.

" Hmm? I've failed to notice this before..." I opened it and took a look at the files within it.

" Oh? The philosophy and beliefs of the cult is here as well." I clicked on the document to read its contents. The first words that my eyes laid upon in an excerpt from one of the cultists' bible.

" Through pain, we give sacrifice. Through death, we become one with God and see his glory. So to experience the agony of death but remain alive, is to peer into God's visage." I read out loud this ominous verse.

" Nutjobs... No wonder Yuri had a messed up mind." I mutter to myself as I continue to read.

It seems these people believe that God will only listen to the prayers of those who are suffering. Well, they are a little bit right on that... but I don't think they need to do all that. I think it also applies to people who have played a certain psychological horror game, but I digress from the topic at hand. It seems the main form of worship within their cult is self-mutilation. They obsess over their god so much that it seems the most fanatic people of the damn cult spend most of their day severely mutilating themselves to the point where large sections of their bodies have its bones exposed. But it seems that is not the most self-destructive and brutal behavior this people possess. The atrocities they have committed range from burning babies to skinning people while they are alive. Yet, the most bloodiest of it all is their most important ritual. They call it the 'Ritual of Sight' and it's pretty horrible. What they would do is take a little girl they deem worthy to see their god and bring her to a secluded area overnight. During this, they would make her experience all kinds of pain within the course of a single night. The ways they do this varies, but all of it would cause the girl immense pain. This torture is said to allow the girl to hear and see god if she manages to live after the ordeal, though chances of her surviving are slim.

" This is disgusting..." I mutter as I close the document. Then, in the dark corner of my room, lines of codes emerged.

" Kyaaah!" Monika fell out of the lines of codes in her dog onesie. I shut down the computer and walk over to her.

" You ok?" I ask as I help her off the floor.

" Yeah... Man, this is weird." She said as she got up and sprawled herself all over my bed.

" I could feel myself slowly getting weaker." Monika said as she opens the command console.

" Here, let me show you." She types in a few lines of code. After a brief moment, lines of code appear on my bed and an apple apeared. But, it begins to glitch sporadically before disappearing.

" What the hell? Do you know why?" I asked her. She shakes her head and stare at the ceiling.

" I don't know... But maybe it's for the best..." She said with a sigh.

" If someday, I turn back into the old me... Maybe losing my control over this reality would be good..." She looks at me with a sad look on her face. Her emerald green eyes showed hints of guilt and remorse.

" I... I don't want to destroy everything you hold dear... Not again..." Monika whimpered out, her voice trembling.

" Don't worry, I'm here with you if that happens. I'll make sure you go back to your senses if you start deleting our friends..." I pull her into an embrace and stroked her brown hair.

" You better make sure you stop me..."

" Ahaha! Of course, I can't have you undo all my progress." I nuzzle my nose against hers.

" Speaking of progress, how will we deal with Yuri?" I pull myself away from her.

" Is that the thing that's been troubling you? Well... to be honest, I am bothered by that too." Monika sat up and slumped beside me.

" Yoku... Please don't be mad at me... But I think it's for the best if we report what happened to the authorities.. " Monika clenches her hands and bites her lip.

" I can't blame you. After what happened this week, I guess bringing her to the police or some mental institution would be the best course of action." I said in a soft tone.

" Yeah... Who knows what might happen if we let her roam around like that... She is a danger that cannot be ignored." Monika said in a calm yet frustrated manner.

" But, I'm still worried about Yuri. Won't she feel extremely sad if she finds out tht her closest friends sold her out?" I said in a sad tone.

" Yeah, but... I guess it's for the best... Right?" Monika held my hand firmly.

" And... And if she does find out, I'll take the blame for you. After all, I am the club president." Monika stared deep into my eyes. Her green gaze pulling me in.

" What a pain, making a girl shoulder what should've been my responsibility... That isn't my style." I said before leaning in closer to her.

" I'll be the one to do it. I'll go and talk to the cops first thing in the morning. I have enough evidence against her, so this would be an easy task. So..." I pull her into a kiss that only lasted for a few seconds.

"... Let's just focus on us right now, okay?" I smile sweetly before tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. Suddenly, she pushes me to the bed and gets on top of me.

" Ahaha! Yeah, you're right. I've been getting jealous of all the attention Yuri is getting." Monika unbuttons two of the buttons on my pajama.

" And earlier today, you let Yuri get on top of you. I have to punish you for that..." She licks her lips and looks at me with a predatory gaze.

" Ehehe, it isn't intentional you know! And for the record, I kept resisting her." I said before cupping her cheek.

" Hmph! Reasons! I can see you ogle at 'them' when I got inside the room." Monika laughs sweetly as she held my hand.

" Soooo... Which one do you prefer? I know I'm not as big as Yuri's..." She said with a flustered face, averting her gaze from mine.

" Huh?"

" Idiot! I'm talking about my chest! You liked her's more than mine! Right?! Meanie!" Monika said before softly punching my chest repeatedly.

" Ahaha! Well... To be honest... I'm more attracted by thighs than by breasts." I let out a chuckle, only to be flicked on the forehead.

" You probably kept staring at my pose in the starting screen... Perv..."

" Says the girl who asked whose tits I prefer."

" Shut up!"

" Ahaha~ This is why I love you."

" Huh?! Uhh... Erm... I... Ugh! Geez, I both love and hate it when you tease me! Why can't you compliment me from time to time?" Monika gazes at me with a hint of playfulness in her eyes.

" Pfft... Hahaha! Fine, ummmm... I absolutely love your green eyes, your long and beautiful brown hair."

" And?"

" I like your responsible, intelligent and caring personality."

" Ahaha, I like those about me too."

" And I love it when you do this..." I squeeze her thigh, causing her to let out a moan.

" Ah! H-Hey! Don't be so eager! I think we're out of condoms..." Monika gets off me and opens the drawer of the nightstand.

" Yeah... All out..." Monika said in disappointment.

" Hold on..." Monika pulls out the command console and types in a command. A pack of condoms briefly appear between us, only to revert back into lines of digits.

" Oh... Welp, guess it can't be helped! I'm going to the convenience store." I said before getting up from my bed. I took out some pants and a T-shirt from my cabinet.

" Huh?! Then I'll go with-"

" Nope. You stay here and relax." I said as I begin to change into my clothes.

" Okay... But be careful!" Monika said as I walked towards her and kiss her softly. As I pull away, I pat her hair and gave her a warm smile.

" I'll be back in a few, my love!" I said as I left the room and close the door behind me.

As I run downstairs, I see Maido go down the cellar and into Akami-sama's room that is filled with his books. I open the door and stepped outside. The chilly breeze felt nice as it blew. I close the door behind me and begin to walk After a few steps however, I hear a bush rustle behind me. I look back and see NyanNyan, the usually calm and playful kitten, hissing and clawing at the bush beside my house. I dismiss this as nothing more but a kitten chasing some mice. I continue to walk towards the convenience store, and I took notice of the empty streets around me. It sent goosebumps down my spine, yet I ignored this and pushed on. As I walk, I felt someone watching me, perhaps it is Akami-sama? No... he would never let his presence be noticed like this. I didn't slow down however, nor did I quicken up my pace. I put my hand into my pocket and pulled out my wallet and made it seem that I dropped it. When I stopped walking, I turn around to look at my pursuer, only to see no one. Guess I'm just paranoid.

It took a while, probably around 7 minutes, but I reached the convenience store. I bought a pack of condoms and some snacks like Pocky and some Cheetos. After paying for the items I bought, I was about to beeline it to my home when the doors opened and a girl entered. I nearly collapse from shock due to the sight of this girl. It was Yuri, in her turtle neck sweater and black leggings. Her long, purple hair is tied into a ponytail. She looked around the store and her sight made contact with mine. She lets out a surprised look at me.

" Y-Yoku? W-What a coincidence!" Yuri smiled and waved at me.

" Oh, Yuri. What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" I said as I rub the back of my head. I smile at her, trying my best not to run away in fear.

" Eh? Erm... I... I ran out Chamomile tea. I can't sleep if I don't drink a cup of Chamomile at night." Yuri said as she looked around the store.

" Hm... I see. Well, Chamomile tea is helpful for people with insomnia. It also helps calm my nerves." I said as to Yuri with calm tone. She smiles and nods at me.

" Yes, yes. That is quite right. Anyways, it's getting dark. I think you should be on your way. I'm terribly sorry for holding you up." Yuri bows her head. I shake my head and sigh.

" Yeah, well, it isn't safe for girls to walk alone at night. Hurry up and I'll walk you home." I said before taking a seat. I watch her walk around the store a bit, before taking a box of tea and heading towards the counter. After she paid for it, we left the convenience store without saying a word to each other.

Our walk is silent and awkward. It basically went something like this. She'd stare at me for a few minutes, try to say something but freeze and I'll look at her and she'll get flustered before she starts walking quickly. This went on for at least 8 minutes, until we reached the front of her house. She suddenly stopped walking and I was about to book it out of there in fear that she might kill me, but thankfully, she didn't pull out a knife on me. Instead, she turned around to face me and clenched her fist.

" I... I-I'm... I'm sorry!" Yuri bows her head towards me.

" I placed your life in danger, and I know that is something that cannot be forgiven." Yuri said in an anguished voice.

" Yoku... I have committed horrific acts, thinking that it would cause you to love me. But I was wrong... so wrong..." Yuri lifts up her head, revealing her teary eyes as she stared at me.

" I know what the punishment for my actions are. I have prepared myself for the consequences my actions have brought. In fact, I'm even considering about handing myself over to the authorities for my crimes." She said with a serious yet calm tone. Then, Yuri wiped away her tears and smiled.

" Even so, I still want to thank you, Yoku. You have shown me the error of my 'love' and the meaning of love. I'm grateful for that, and I'm lucky I met someone like you." She smiles and takes out the knife she always keep in her pocket.

" Here. I don't want it anymore. Keep it." Yuri hands me her favorite knife.

" Yuri... I... I forgive you. But, why are you giving me your knife?" I said as I take the knife and place it in my pocket.

" Well... I don't need it anymore. Let's just say, I'm moving on to a new hobby thanks to you." Yuri walks up to me and pulls me into an embrace, which I kindly return to her. It was a warm embrace, similar to that when you are saying goodbye to a friend.

" Yup! I don't need that knife anymore... Because I finally have what I wanted, I have you! AHAHAHA!" Yuri suddenly headbutts me, causing me to lose my balance and feel dizzy.

" Yuri... Argh!" I fell back, looking at Yuri with a sinister grin on her face. She pulls out a needle and jabs it into my arm. I was about to yell out in pain, but she knees me on my face.

I fell to the ground, and I could hear Yuri's fading laughter. As my vision blurred and I began to black out, I look at the needle on my arm. Propofol... an

anaesthetic that caused sleepiness.

" Damn... it... Yuri... Ughh..." I let out one last groan as I felt my body getting dragged towards Yuri's house. Her hazy laughter and blurry silhouette is the last thing I saw before completely blacking out.


	40. Cage

I woke up in a dark room, my hands and feet are bound to the wall by thick chains. The dark room had no windows, and its interior is covered by dust and cobwebs. I look down on my shirt, traces of dried blood covered it. I look around the room to see any means of escape, my eyes adjusting to the darkness as I did so. Whips, bondage gear, knives, fucking surgical gear, and a lot of messed up stuff that is clearly meant for making an unlucky person experience a living hell. In one side of the room is a staircase that led to what I assume is Yuri's house. I took in a deep breath, and at the top of my lungs, shouted.

" YURI!!! I'M AWAKE NOW AND I NEED TO TAKE A PISS!" This is a complete lie, but I might find my chance to escape if she buys it.

There is a deafening silence as I await a response. After a while, I hear a set of locks unlock and a few chains dropping to the floor before the door at the top of the stairs open. It was like seeing the light of heaven, it filled most of the room with blindingly, bright light. I hear footsteps running down the stairs, along with the clang of... a bucket?

" W-Wait! Please don't wet yourself!" Yuri kneels beside me and places the bucket between my legs.

" Uhhh... Is... Is that what I think it is?" I said while I stare at the the rusty bucket.

" Uh-huh... Oh! I forgot! You can't urinate if your hands are tied up!" Yuri clasped her hands together and took a look at the chains.

 _"Thank goodness she fell for it..."_ I thought to myself. Suddenly, I felt a pair of hands touching my crotch area, unzipping my pants. My face flushed in embarrassment and I started struggling violently.

" AAAAHHHH!!! W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I asked in an angry and embarrassed voice.

" Ah! Uh... Ah... I'm... I'm h-helping you pee..." Yuri pulled away her hands and her cheeks are now a bright shade of red.

" LET M-ME DO IT MYSELF!" I demand in a stern voice.

She stood speechless in front of me.

" Sorry, I can't do that."

" What?!"

" You're planning to escape, are you not?"

" Oh for God's sake, Yuri! If a man needs to go, he needs to go!"

" Very well..." Yuri gets up and pulls out a key from her pocket. She then begins to unlock the cuffs on one of my hands.

" T-Thanks... Umm... Can you like give me some privacy?"

" Huh? A-Ah... yes... I'll go ahead and turn around."

" What the fu- GET OUT OF HERE!" I shout out and shooed her away.

" No, no! I'll make sure that you don't do anything brash. You might hurt yourself if you try to escape!" She said with a smile on her face, like nothing is wrong with this.

"... Just cover your ears and shout as loud as you can." I said before turning around and quietly unzipping my pants. In the background, I can hear Yuri whistling.

" I... I can't go if there is people around." I said as I glance at her direction. I was shocked to see that she was staring at me with her violet eyes.

" And?"

" AND?! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN 'AND'?! I NEED YOU TO LEAVE THE ROOM SO THAT I MAY TAKE A LEAK IN PRIVATE!" I shout at her to try and make her leave. Her gaze bore even deeper at me, and she begins to walk over towards me. I was about to piss myself right there.

" Well.. Would you like some tea? I'll go ahead and brew some tea while I give you privacy." She smiles and pats me on the shoulder. She takes her leave and closes the door to the basement, leaving me in the dark once again.

I actually took a piss due to the fear I just felt from her. I sigh as I look around the room. If she is about to slice me up, then please don't make me suffer! I zip up my pants and gently pushed the bucket away before slumping beside the wall. I let out a groan as I looked at the chains on my feet. Too thick to be hammered or whittled down over time. As I took a look around the room, the door opened and Yuri walked into the basement carrying a tray with two cups of tea and a kettle.

" Ahaha! I thought I'd catch you trying to escape. But instead, I see you calmly taking in the view." Yuri said as she placed a tea cup beside me.

" That is Oolong tea... It helps calm the nerves and relax the body."

" Heh, I can't believe you are actually having a tea party with me while I'm chained up like an animal." I say as I take a look at the devices surrounding us.

" Geez, are you not going to use that stuff on me? Is it just for intimidation?" I said as I took the tea cup beside me with my only free hand and took a long sip from it. It has a weird taste to it.

" Hmmm... Not really! We'll be using that later when we engage in new activities."

" WHAT?!" I drop the tea cup, spilling tea on the floor and shattering the cup into pieces.

" Oh... I infused that tea with my love juices and strong sleeping pills. It's a shame you spilled most of it."

" What... the... hell..." I tried to reach Yuri, but I start fading into unconsciousness.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

Monika has spent the entire night, waiting anxiously for Yoku. She may have dozed off waiting for him, but she was certain he would alert her when he got home. He left at around 10 in the evening, and now it's a quarter to eight. Sayori and Natsuki went to the mall today to do some shopping, leaving Monika and Maido alone in the house.

" I woke up at around 7, and Yoku is still not here... I thought he was just out jogging or something!" Monika said in a worried tone.

" Where could he be?!" Monika whimpered out in a sad voice.

" Yoku... Oh no! Monika, go!" Maido stood up and pointed towards the door.

" It doesn't take a detective to put two and two together! Yoku must've run into Yuri in the middle of the night and got taken!" Maido clenched her fists in anger.

" You're right... It could only be Yuri that is behind his disappearance." Monika said in an angry voice.

" I'll inform the authorities, you go and save him. It might be dangerous, but I know you can do it Monika." Maido pushed her outside and locked the door behind them.

" Sure. Take care, Maido!" Monika begins to run in the opposite direction of Maido.

Monika's speed is like that of a train. She is only a blur of brown hair and a white bow. She was like a man possessed by a demon. She grit her teeth in anger as she runs towards Yuri's house. It was at least 10 minutes away, but she kept thinking that she was too late.

" Yoku! Please, hang on! I'm coming for you!" Monika said as she shoved someone aside and run as fast as the wind can carry her.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

[ PLEASE HANG ON!]

[ PLEASE HANG ON!]

[ PLEASE HANG ON!]

[ PLEASE HANG ON!]

[ PLEASE HANG ON!]

[ PLEASE HANG ON!]

This words flashed into my mind repeatedly. It was loud at first, but they began to fade away as I regained my consciousness. But as I did so, i could feel a tremendous pain at the tip of my fingers! SO FUCKING PAINFUL!

I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM, SEEING MY HANDS AND FEET TIED INTO A BED WHILE THE TIPS OF THE FINGERS OF MY LEFT HAND ARE BLEEDING HEAVILY. THE NAILS HAVE BEEN YANKED OUT VIOLENTLY WHILE I SLEPT. I LOOKED AROUND FOR YURI, ONLY TO SEE A CLAMP TAKE HOLD OF THE FINGERNAIL ON MY LEFT INDEX FINGER. IN A FORCEFUL JERK, THE NAIL CAME FLYING OFF, CAUSING ME EXCRUCIATING PAIN.

" FUUUUUUCCCCCKKK!!! AAAAAAARRRGGGHHH!!!" I ROAR OUT IN AGONY.

" Ssshhh! It's alright... It'll feel good soon!" Yuri stroked my hair and let out a warm smile while I writhe in pain.

" Did you know, pain affects the same are in the brain that is also affected by pleasure. So, I'm going to make you experience the greatest pleasure in your life! Ahaha!" Yuri lifts up her hand and licks the blood of it.

" Delicious." She whispered as she clamped down on another finger.

" Please! No... No... No... No..NO NO NO- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGGHHH!!!" ANOTHER ONE OF MY NAILS CAME FLYING OFF, SPLASHING BLOOD EVERYWHERE.

" I BEG YOU... S-STO- AAAAARGGGGHHHHH!!!" I FELT A KNIFE STAB THROUGH MY HAND. BLOOD SPUTTERED EVERYWHERE. I WINCE AND WRITHE IN EXCRUCIATING AGONY.

" YES! AHHH!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW BEAUTIFUL YOUR MOANS ARE! MOAN FOR ME MORE! AHAHA!" SHE PULLS OUT THE KNIFE AND LACERATES MY ARM.

" AAAAARRRGGHHH!!! PLEASE! NO MORE! JUST... JUST KILL ME! AAAARRGGHHH!" I SCREAM OUT IN PAIN AS SHE STABS A KNIFE INTO MY LEG AND INTO MY SHOULDER JOINT.

" No can do, Yoku~ I'm not finished with showing you true pleasure~" Yuri whispers out as she pulls out the knife in my leg and slicing her own wrist.

" AHHH!!!! Y-YOKU'S BLOOD IS ONE WITH MINE! AHHHH~ YES! I... I HAVE BECOME ONE WITH YOKU~" Yuri screamed out as she repeatedly sliced her arm with the knife. An expression of bliss and ecstasy is all that can be seen on her face.

SHE STARTS SLICING AT ME ONCE AGAIN, AT ONE POINT, SHE EVEN BROKE A FINGER ON MY RIGHT HAND. MY MOUTH FOAMED AS I STRUGGLED. THE ROPE THAT RETRAINED ME DUG INTO MY FLESH. MY BODY IS COVERED IN BLOOD AND WOUNDS, SOME PARTS EVEN SHOWING SOME BONE. I SCREAM OUT IN PAIN AS YURI CONTINUED HER RELENTLESS TORTURE. SHE TOOK HAMMER, AND BEGIN TO BREAK THE BONES IN MY LEGS. I ARCHED MY BODY DUE TO THE SEVERE PAIN I FELT. I BEGIN TO CONVULSE AT THE HELL I FELT.

" Please... Just... let me die..." I said before blacking out.

I was then drenched in foul smelling liquid. No, this is urine! Oh god! Yuri laughed as I struggle in vain. My wounds sting as the urine entered them.

" DON'T YOU LIKE IT, YOKU?! THAT URINE IS A MIXTURE OF BOTH MINE AND YOURS! WE ARE BECOMING ONE WHEN THEY ENTER YOU, AHAHAHAHAHAH!" i shout for help and writhe in my bed. Yet, my cry for help is not answered.

After a while, she stopped slicing at my arms and took a sit in front of me. Suddenly, I hear Yuri pop open the Pocky I bought.

" Sorry, I was getting famished... Perhaps you would like some?" I look over at her direction, seeing the bag I brought with me last night.

" Fuck... off..." I groan out, it seems my vocal chords have been torn out due to my screaming. Suddenly, she smiles and pulls out the pack of condoms I bought.

" I see you've actually prepared for today! Large? I see... Could I be able to take this in, I wonder?" Yuri said as she got up and walked over towards me.

" NO! PLEASE! G-GET AWAY FROM ME!" i manage to shout out and struggle in pain, before being elbowed in the stomach. I groan out in pain.

I then see Yuri take off her leggings, and then her panties. I avert my eyes away from them and closed it. Suddenly, she grabs my lower jaw nd forces it open. She shoves her rolled up black panties inside my mouth and smile in delight.

" You might lose your voice if you keep shouting like that... I still want to hear you moan later... Ahaha!" She laughed as she watched me try to get it out my mouth in vain.

She then begins to unzip my pants, smiling in pleasure as she did so. I simply closed my eyes and hoped that I would bleed out before I got raped. I could feel her hands gently rubbing my crotch...

Then it stopped.

I open my eyes, and saw that Yuri now wore an irritated expression on her face. In the silence, I heard a faint sound that gave me a glimmer of hope. It gave me light in my darkest hour.

I heard a door being kicked open from upstairs.


	41. Bad End

" I wonder who that could be?" Yuri said as she got off me.

" If the door has been breached, I guess I need to make preparations to receive our uninvited guest." Yuri spoke with an air of elegance around her. Her refined mannerisms is a stark contrast to the horrible environment that surrounds her.

" Please bear with me, Yoku. This may sting a bit..." She took a hammer and raised it above her head. In her other hand, is a large nail which she hovered above my right hand.

" MHHHMM! MHHHHM!" I cry out, only to be muffled by her panties that she forced into my mouth.

I nearly blacked out due to the pain. My hand has been punctured due to the force of the hammer driving the large nail deep into me. My body convulsed and I struggled with all my might. The numerous wounds on my body now spurting blood as I thrashed around. As if that wasn't enough, she pulled out another nail and firmly embedded it into my foot. The pain was enough for me to black out, I look at my mangled body one last time. The numerous wounds that covered my body is truly a sight to gruesome for anyone to see..

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

Monika panted as she stood atop the broken door. She kicked it down after she found it locked. She stepped into the quiet abode, finding its interior tidy and smelled of Jasmine. Monika looked around to see if she could find any clue as to where Yoku is. Then, like a hot knife splitting a stick of butter, a muffled cry shot trough the air, breaking the silence of the house. She looked at the direction of the noise, a door underneath the staircase with numerous locks and chains strewn about. Monika paused for a moment to see if she could hear the cry for help once again. Then, she heard it once more from within the door. Monika dashed towards the door, her eyes are filled with anger and frustration. The moment she swung open the door, a horrible odor reached her nose. She stepped back and her eyes widened in fear at the realization that she may have been too late. The scent she had just smelled is the stench of blood.

Monika gulped and steeled herself. She took a deep breath and dove headfirst into the unknown depths of the cellar. The stench increased in intensity, yet Monika pushed on. As she raced f

down the flight of stairs, she felt her heart race faster. She kept thinking about the things she might see once she reaches the bottom and what should she do with Yuri after this. A part of her wanted to delete her right there, but the other only wished for this to stop. Cold sweat dripped from her face as she climbed down the stairs, each step heavier than the last. As she reached the bottom, she felt something wet underneath her shoe. She looked down to see a small puddle of blood.

" Yoku... Please don't die on me... I still need you..." Monika said to herself in a trembling voice.

She heard a pained breathing from the other side of the room. She looked around the pitch-black room. It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, but when she finally saw what is in store for her, she wished that she didn't go down there. In the middle of the room is a bed where Yoku is currently tied up. Monika stammered forward, her face contorting into an expression of horror and anguish. As she neared him, she saw what has become of her beloved Yoku. His body is covered in large and deep wounds, his arms being lacerated to the point where she saw the bones being exposed. A few holes can be seen in his limbs, a sign that Yoku was stabbed by a knife and some other weapon. She saw his right hand and foot nailed to the bed like some ragdoll. She was about to take off the nails when she took a good look at his hands, or at least what remained of it. His fingers are bent out of shape, some even bending backward. The nails are either missing or is hanging by a thread. His legs are broken beyond repair, a bone fragment can be seen protruding from under his knee. He may not even be able to walk in the future. Monika saw that Yoku is having difficulty in breathing, and she saw that a rib is bent out of shape. Monika felt helpless and defeated, seeing the one who was supposed to save them reduced to such a state. She can only cry out and wail in pain. She could see that this is extremely painful for Yoku, yet she cannot even help him. She took off the fabric in his mouth, which turned aout to be a pair of black panties.

" I'm... I'm... sorry... It was my fault... If only I didn't mess up the game, you wouldn't have come here..." Monika cried out in sorrow as she held Yoku's hand.

" This... T-This is all...My fault..." Monika caressed his brown hair, her tears flowing down her cheeks like a river. Suddenly, Yoku's eyelids twitched before slowly opening.

" _Monika..."_ Yoku wheezed out, wincing in pain. Monika wiped away her tears and was overjoyed to see that Yoku could still talk.

" YOKU! I-I'M HERE FOR YOU!" Monika began to hectically pull at his restraints.

" _No... Get... Get out... Leave me..."_ Yoku tried to push her away in vain. Monika shot him a confused look.

" What are you saying?! I'm taking-"

" You d-don't... understand!!! This... is a trap!" Yoku shouted out before coughing up blood. Some of it landing on Monika's clothes. He then slipped into unconsciousness once again.

Suddenly, Monika hears a chair being pushed aside and a pair of foot steps rushing towards her. She turned around to try and see where the blow is gonna hit, but it already found its mark. She felt a cold piece of metal hit her rigt cheek. She was sent flying, crashing against the wall and hitting her head. She then fell unconscious due to the impact to her head. As her vision blurred, she saw Yuri walking towards her.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

I woke up once again, this is the fifth time I fell unconscious. I can't move or talk that much, I think a rib just punctured my lung. I was no longer tied to the bed, but hands and feet are nailed firmly to it. I looked around to see where is Monika. After I painfully turned my head to the side, I saw her chained to the spot where I was previously chained. She was stripped of her clothes except for her underwear. She was wearing the white bra and white panties I bought for her, that was my favorite pair. I tried to call her name, but my vocal chords have been torn out from my excessive screaming. I looked at her face, her cheek is bruised and swelling up. My heart dropped at this sight, this gut-wrenching scene. I try to struggle but I have lost my energy due to blood loss. Then, I saw her twitch a little bit before she opened her eyes. She looked around in confusion before laying her sights on me.

" Yoku... I'm sorry I was too late." She began to cry, her tears made my heart ache.

" _Mo..ika... Don't... ry... Elp... will... come... soon... right?"_ I wheeze out before giving her a weak smile. She nods, yet her eyes showed sadness.

" Yeah... But it may take a while." Monika said weakly.

" Yoku... If we get out of this alive... I want to go to the beach." Monika said weakly as she tried to break out of her chains.

" _Sure... count on... it..."_ I said weakly, letting out a long sigh afterwards.

Suddenly, we hear dreadful footsteps go down the flight of stairs. It was Yuri, bringing with her a tray with three tea cups on it. She smiled as she placed one by my side, before walking over to Monika. I felt disgusted by this, seeing as how she treated this as a joke. She let out a sigh as she sat beside Monika. Monika's gaze felt like it could melt steel, yet Yuri remained unfazed by this.

" Oh my... Please don't be mad, club president! I was just showing Yoku here a different kind of pleasure! That's all." Turi said as she handed Monika a tea cup. Monika scowls at her.

" Shut the fuck up... You're expecting me to drink with my hands tied like this?" Monika glared at her with killing intent.

" Ah! Yes, you're right... Here, let me help you drink your tea." Suddenly, Yuri splashed Monika with the scalding hot tea. Monika screamed out in pain while Yuri laughed in glee.

" AHAHAHA! That's right! You should burn in hell for taking my Yoku away from me!" Yuri shouted as Monika writhes in pain. I too began to struggle and try to get myself free.

" I'll... I'LL KILL YOU!" Monika shouted at Yuri before spitting on her face. She is still wincing at the pain she felt.

" Tch, rude. You refuse to be punished for your transgressions against me." Yuri said to her before pulling her hair. Monika cried out in pain as Yuri yanked forcefully.

" You already have everything... A beautiful figure, intelligence, popularity, you're athletic, and most of all... you are beloved by your peers! Me? All I wanted was Yoku! Him!" Yuri punched Monika in the stomach while she tugged harder. Monika coughed in pain. I felt helpless as I watch Yuri hit her repeatedly.

" Why?! Why must you take him?! You have so many options, yet you chose him..." Yuri lets go of Monika and takes a sit once again. She was on the brink of tears.

" Because... He... He saved me from the loneliness that has been eating me from the inside... The feeling if being trapped in an endless abyss. Yoku pulled me out of that feeling and brought me to the light!" Monika said proudly, a faint glimmer of hope shined in her eyes.

" If only... if only you knew, Yuri... How Yoku wanted to save us all..." Monika said as she let out a chuckle, but she starts vomiting shortly after.

" You sure do... Pack a punch..." Monika said as she coughs.

A moment of awkward silence fell between us. Yuri stared into the ceiling, contemplating about something. Monika sighed as she stared at me, her eyes watering as she continued to look at me. Yuri glanced at my direction and back at Monika. She was looking intently at her, like she was planning something bad against her.

" You know... The response time of the police are pretty long. It might take 15 minutes just for them to arrive at a location." Yuri said as she twirled a knife in her fingers.

" Heh, that's probably enough time for the two of us..." Monika said in a smug tone, irritating Yuri.

" Sooner or later, I'll break that facade of yours." Yuri said as she stood up and looked at Monika's exposed arm.

I shut my eyes closed and tried my best to ignore Monika's screams. I was furious, I wanted to just... die. I could hear Yuri cut Monika's skin. Monika cried out in pain, I could hear her shackles shake violently. Afyer a while, Monika stopped screaming and Yuri took a sit in front of her. I took a look and saw that Monika's arms are covered in nasty slits.

" Monika... Why don't you ask God for help?" Yuri said as she pointed at me.

" I... I beg your pardon-"

" Isn't Akami-sensei a god?" Our eyes widened in shock as Yuri said those words.

" I... I don't think that's a nice joke..." Monika said as she averted her gaze from Yuri.

" Hmm? You didn't know? How?! It was so obvious, he manifested items from air like it was nothing! Like that time when we are eating lunch, I saw him pull out lunch boxes out of thin air for us to eat! And the feeling he gets when he watches you, I could sometimes feel that even when he is not around..." Yuri said as stared into the corner. Her lips curling into a smile.

" I bet he's watching right now... He is probably laughing at ho-" Yuri was cut off by the sounds of sirens from above us.

" Hehehe, took her long enough..." Monika smiled as she looked at Yuri.

" Ah... no... Well, I guess I had enough time." Yuri turned around and walked over to a table. The floor shook above us as I hear what seems to sound like footsteps.

" It has come to this, huh? If I cannot have Yoku, in life... I'll have him in the next." Yuri raised her knife and glanced at me.

" But first... Monika, tell Akami-sensei I sent my regards." Yuri turned around and stabbed Monika in the gut.

" Ugh... Y-Yoku... *Blergh*" Monika starts vomiting blood as Yuri pulled out her knife. Yuri smiled as she stared at Monika, all color and life draining from her body. Then, she pointed the knife to herself and raised it high.

" Monika... MONIKAAAA!!!" I scream out, and I struggled violently to free myself.

As painful as it is, I yank my hand and foot free from the nail impaled in it. It caused me a lot of pain, but at least I'm free. My right leg is shattered and broken that it felt like jelly, while my left is still in a good condition despite it being fractured. Using the last ounce of strength I have, I pounced on Yuri and tackled her with all my might. I felt every open wound in my body spurt out blood, the last of my blood in fact. Yuri struggled violently as I try to restrain her. She clawed and scratched me as i got on top of her. It was so damn hard fighting trough the pain, yet I endured. I clenched my fists and felt the adrenaline surge into my head. With the last of my breath, I jab Yuri in the stomach, causing her to get knocked out and vomit all over me. But, in the midst of our violent struggle, she somehow managed to stab me in the chest. Not just that, I felt my lung get punctured. Blood spewed forth from my mouth, it's distinct metallic taste reminded me of my bitter victory. I look over at Monika, who is still alive. It seems, by some miracle, Yuri missed and stabbed her in the side of her waist. She looked at me with horrified eyes as I crawled towards her.

" YOKU! NO! NO! NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!" She screamed out as I place my head on her lap. Her bloodstained hands touching the knife still imbedded in my chest.

" Monika... I... Love..." My strength to speak faded. I felt the creeping embrace of death all over me as I slipped into an eternal slumber.

" Yoku! Please! Don't... Don't die! Don't leave me alone in this world again..." Monika said as she clings onto me. I could only manage a faint smile. It's a shame, my last memory would be how sad she looked. How sorrowful her beautiful green eyes appeared as she cried for me.

" Yoku!!! PLEASE! STAY WITH ME! I BEG YOU!" She cried out. I heard the footsteps of people rushing down the stairs. I hope it was the paramedics, they need to get the two treated for their injuries.

As my vision and hearing get hazy, I felt cold... extremely cold. I was having a hard time breathing. I could see the blurry outline of Maido holding me in her arms. It's funny, I don't feel her anymore. She hugs me tightly. It would probably feel warm. I finally close my eyes as she wraps her arms around me, I'm getting too tired keeping them open anyway. I can hear the hazy noises around me, I think Monika is crying. I really want to say sorry and comfort her for making her cry, but I'm too tired. I rest my head on the hands of Maido, slowly realizing that the everything is fading away.

Its now pitch black, and I can't see or feel a thing. It's getting frigid now. I can't feel anything. The noises of everyone around me has vanished. Yes... I really need some sleep after all of that. I closed my eyes, wait... they are closed. I think.

Whatever, I need to sleep...

After a while, I woke up in a bright space. Nothing is in here, except for two words. They were in front of me, and they had a simple message. They were written in a bold font. Below them is a small Akami-sama doll in a parade costume with cymbals repeating the words in a sing-song manner, like it's mocking me. I look up once more at the words, letting out a sigh as I shake my head. I've lost Monika and the others for a 36th time now, but this time, it is not them but me that died.

I stare at the words again, taking in the realization that I have failed... That I didn't get the Good Ending, rather... I ended up with the ending I hated the most.

 **BAD END**


	42. Akami-sama Handling the Ending

Hmm? What are you guys still doing here? Shoo! The story is done! Yoku failed! What else do you want?! Hmm?! Oh, it hasn't been tagged as complete... I see, thanks...

Huh?! What do you mean 'no'?!

You want me to help Yoku?!

No! The story is over! Get out!

Sorry, I said it's over! Don't expect anymore chapters! Now get out!

Ah geez, fine! Enough with your rioting! I'll go and help Yoku! Thankfully, I've already prepared for this...

Expect the next chapter to be out the day after tomorrow! I still need some preparation for this.


	43. New Beginning

I stared at the words in front of me, I'm at a loss for words. I wanted to give everyone the happy ending they deserved, but I failed them. I drop to my knees and laugh in defeat. While the little Akami-sama doll clanged together its cymbals, I collapsed on the floor and cried my eyes out. I could feel my heart get crushed into little pieces as I thought about everything I just lost. The time I have spent trying to save them, poof! In an instant, all my efforts were wasted as that cold piece of metal dug deep into my chest. As I recall this bitter and sad memories, the mechanical doll paced around me, singing a line tht drove a stake through my heart.

" Bad End! Bad End! You achieved the Bad End!" The doll sang in an annoying manner, mocking me as I lay on the floor crying.

" Now, now, let's not cry over spilt milk." I heard that familiar voice from behind the floating words.

I looked up and wiped my tears away. The space around me seemed to crack open, the letters falling to the ground as the dark space around me shakes violently. Then, blinding light flooded my vision as the cracks grew larger, forcing me to shut my eyes. In an instant, the darkness around me faded- no, it was blown away by it. With brightness that probably rivaled the Big Bang, I was engulfed by a searing light that could have probably melted my face off if it wasn't for the fact that I'm dead. Then, I felt a hand firmly grab me by the shoulder.

" Yo! How'd you like the ending scene? I made it myself." I open my eyes to see a white space that stretched as far as the eye can see. I looked to my side to see Akami-sama smiling at me.

" Ahaha! Wow, I didn't expect you to come see me so soon!" Akami-sama said with sarcastically.

" You..." I clench my fists in anger. His smile infuriated me even more.

" Hmm? You want to punch me? Do it later once I explain what just happened." Akami-sama steps aside to reveal an area littered with wrappers and a small TV and a door leading to nowhere.

" Here, take a sit... If you want to eat, there may be some chips here and there." Akami-sama manifested a recliner in front of him and sat down.

I took a sit on the floor across from him, glaring at him as I did so. I felt so angry at him for no apparent reason, yet I tried my best not to charge at him. Even when I kept glaring at him, his only expression is a warm and forgiving smile. He pulled out a bag of chips from the air and tossed them at me. I caught it midair and took a good look at the bag, a nacho cheese Doritos bag. I place it beside me and let out a low grumble which caught the attention of Akami-sama. He raised an intrigued eyebrow as he opened a bag of Cheetos.

" Man, you're taking this too seriously. Relax Yoku! It's not like you're in a rush or anything, because you know... Omae wa mou shindeiru." Akami-sama let out an amused chuckle as he popped a few Cheetos into his mouth.

" What?" I said as I clamp down on the bag of Doritos. The force was enough to cause it to explode which sent bits and pieces of Doritos flying everywhere.

" You... You think this is some joke?! Do you seriously think that I could just walk this whole thing off?!" I shouted as I threw what remained of the bag of chips to the floor. I felt angry, annoyed and frustrated at my situation, yet Akami-sama kept smiling calmly.

" I lost my life trying to save them! I lost Monika! I lost everyone! And you..." I walked over to him, stomping my feet as I did so. He sat there in silence, his smile still hasn't faded. This made me mad, so mad that I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

" You still have the audacity to laugh at all of this like some sick joke? How... how could you?" My grip faltered as I begin to break into tears once more.

I let go of the god and fell to the floor. I felt utterly defeated, my soul crushed into tiny pieces. While I fought long and hard to protect those girls, I was being treated as a source of entertainment. This being was willing to put me into such torment just to get a sick laugh out of it. My failure, my success and my journey served as nothing more but mere entertainment. It's infuriating yet at the sme time heartbreaking to know that all you have gone through just to save someone ended in vain. My eyes and cheeks are now puffy and red due to my prolonged crying. I wailed in defeat, my helpless and pitiful cries echoing throughout the empty space. I sank into depression, my heart now at its lowest point in years. I could feel Akami-sama staring at me with a sad look on his face.

" You have failed in your task." Akami-sama said as he stood before me.

" I know that..." I murmured out in a low voice.

" Ironic, you could save others but not yourself." He said while letting out a chuckle.

" I... I have not accomplished my goal..." I said in a defeated tone.

" Yes, you have failed miserably... But I'm not dissapointed or mad at you." Akami-sama said in a comforting tone. I look up in surprise to see that he was smiling warmly at me.

" Look, Yoku... I've considered this scenario as a possibility a long time ago. When Yuri went full yandere, your fate was set in stone." Akami-sama turned around to look at a floating TV.

" Man, Monika has lost it..." I took a look at the TV. On it, I saw Monika locked away in my room and bawling her eyes out. Her hair is unkempt and she sat in a secluded corner while she rocked back and fort.

" Monika... No..." I felt sad at the sight of Monika. Knowing her, she surely felt alone in her world once again. I clench my fists and took a deep breath. I knew that I can't just accept this fate that easily. I need to snap out of this, I need to help them.

" Send me back... please..." I said in a low voice.

" Yoku, do you wish to save them?" Akami-sama said without looking at me.

" Of course. I'm willing to experience hell once more if it means saving them." I wipe the tears away from my face and strengthening my resolve. Passion filled my heart once more, melting away most of the sadness in me.

" Ahaha! How many times did you play through DDLC now? 36 times? Man, do all people who wants a happy ending this desperate?" Akami-sama laughed to himself.

" Yeah... I've been trying to get the good ending since my first playthrough. This failure makes it my 36th time I failed to save everyone." I said as I finally got off my feet.

" Well, let me tell you something. I knew this was coming but I really wanted to see your reaction when it happened." Akami-sama rubbed the back of his head and chuckled nervously.

" So, you knew I was going to die yet you did nothing?!" I said in an irritated voice.

" Yeah... Well, to be fair, I am stuck in this place." Akami-sama smiled awkwardly.

" What is this place anyway?" I asked as I looked around the vast place.

" It's like a chest where the simulation place items it deems as 'inconsistent' and 'destructive' to it. Like a chest for viruses!" Akami-sama nods his head to his explanation.

" Inconsistent? What do you mean?" I asked him.

" Basically something that could cause irregularities and damage to the overall simulation. Think of it as something that doesn't follow the laws of physics in that world." He answered as he opened his command console.

" But, what about Monika?" I asked him once more.

" Her? Well, the simulation recognizes her as a part of it and I'm pretty sure her powers lies in the manipulation of the simulation's script. I, however, rely on my own power." Akami-sama said as he took a look at me.

" Anyway, we need to focus more on your problem. Thankfully, I have prepared for this." Akami-sama opened a GUI infront of me. My eyes widened as I took a good look at the GUI for the Save Files.

" This... This is... a checkpoint." I mutter in shock.

" Yup! It's a checkpoint! I already made a checkpoint on Monday. Ahaha! But we still need to do something with your character file." Suddenly, he pulls out another window with my character files in it. He begins to type quickly.

" _Condition:_ _If state=dead, then go back to last checkpoint._ There! All done! I added a condition to your character file. Now, everytime you die, you go back to the morning of Monday." Akami-sama laughed proudly at himself.

" Are you... ripping off Subaru?" I said with a hint of disappointment in my voice.

" That's not the poin-"

" You just want me to experience the shit Rintarou Okabe went through in Stein's;Gate, don't ya?" I said as I folded my arms.

" No! Just... Just shut u-"

" And you're copying the plot of Erase-"

" Do you want me to help you or not?!" He said with a mild irritation in his voice.

" Sorry. Please, continue." I said as I sat on the floor.

" Good, now... Let me explain how this works. Once you die, you go back to the morning of Monday. But! Everytime you die, the difficulty would become higher. Either through Yuri getting more violent or the the chain of events would drastically change. Now, to make this easier for you, I'm going to give you this notebook." Akami-sama said as he handed me a black a notebook.

" This notebook will not be affected by your respawn. You can go ahead and record the events here to help you try and predict the future. Once you respawn, you would always find this beside your bed. Got all that?" Akami-sama said as he typed some commands in his console.

" Yeah... More or less." I said as I place the small notebook in my pocket.

" Good. Now, let's get you back to that reality. Thankfully, it doesn't recognize you as an irregularity so I could send you back with no problems." Akami-sama said as he took a sit on his recliner.

As I stand up, I can't help but feel thankful for him yet at the same time guilty. I blamed him for the horrible things that happened, yet he never really did anything wrong. It was selfish of me to blame someone else over my misfortunes. I probably just wanted an outlet for my frustration, the frustration that I felt towards my weakness. Suddenly, a large hole opened before me.

" Just step in whenever you're ready." Akami-sama said as he turned on the TV and ate some chips.

" Yeah... hey, thank you." I said meeklynas I took a step towards the portal.

" For what?" He said in an intrigued tone.

" Everything... I owe you a lot." I said before taking a step into the portal. I turned around one last time to look at the god. He smiled cheerfully and quietly cheered me on, and then I noticed it. The door behind him is the same door as to that of the club room.

" Hey! Why do you have a door to the clu-"

I was cut off when the portal swallowed me up into a dark abyss. The last thing I saw is Akami-sama waving goodbye with his hands covered in cheese powder.

I felt like I was falling for eternity in the darkness. It was all black, pitch black. I couldn't feel my body as I fell. The tense atmosphere felt suffocating as I fell deeper into the abyss. Then, in an instant, I saw a faint light in the distance.

Then, I woke up in my bed with Monika beside me.


	44. Alive Once Again

I felt lightheaded and dizzy. So dizzy. I looked around the room, everything still feels the same. Almost the same. I place a hand on my chest and felt my heart beat. It was beating so fast that it felt like my heart was about to burst from my chest. Perhaps I am just glad that I'm here again, or perhaps I'm scared of repeating the events of last time. Either way, I'm here and that's that. I felt someone tug at my shirt. I looked over to see Monika sleepily staring at me. Her glistening green eyes had a hint of worry as they bored deep into me. Tears started flowing down my cheeks as I saw her by my side.

" Monika... Monikaaaa!!!" I cried out as I buried my face on her chest and embraced her tightly.

" I'm... I'm so glad... I'm so glad you're here with me..." I whimper out in a soft tone.

" Yoku, did you have a bad dream? What's gotten into you?" Monika said as she caressed my hair.

" Y-Yeah... Something like that..." I said in a soft tone.

" Well it's alright now. I'm here when you need me." Monika continued to comfort me.

We stayed like this for a while. As I quietly sobbed on her chest, she continually caressed my hair and comforted me. Her gentle touch put my mind to ease. Yes, whatever happened before could be mistaken for a nightmar, something that should be forgotten. I slowly stop crying and gently pull away from her. She resisted a little but she eventually gave way and let me go. I could sense a hint of disappointment from her when I pulled away. My relieved smile faded away when I looked at the nightstand. On it, a small black notebook can be seen. I picked it up and inspected the first page. A note is written there using red ink.

 _Oh! I nearly forgot! This is really important yet it slipped my mind. Everytime Yuri kills someone, she gets one karma point. Now, it may take a while, but at some point, she will be punished depending on her current karma points. Either through extreme suffering or some sort of trauma. Now, you have a choice to take the punishment for her when the time comes. You'll know this through some sort of clue. Now, good bye and good luck!_

I frown at this note. This ominous note written in red. It may have been written in a nice manner, but its message is dark. I'll talk to him later about it. I quickly flip through the pages and glance at its contents. What happened during the past week is written in the first few pages of the notebook. It may not have been as detailed as I thought it would be, but it will do. At this, I turned my attention towards Monika.

" Monika, I have something to tell you." I took a gulp and slowly gathered my thoughts into one place.

 _Please don't let this be like that time Subaru told Emilia about his power!_

I thought to myself as I opened my mouth to speak.

" I... I can return to this point in time if I die..." I closed my eyes in fear of some impending punishment.

" Eh? Ah... I... I see..." Monika looked at me with a confused stare.

" What the hell is that reaction?! You actually believe me?!" I said in a surprised tone.

" N-No... Not really." Monika smiled awkwardly as she looked away from me.

" Are you sure you're awake?"

" Of course! I won't be blurting out random things like that if I wasn't." I said as I fold my arms together.

" Look, check my character files if you doubt me. I know Akami-sama wrote something there when I died." I said to her as I pulled out my phone.

I scrolled through my contacts to see if I can find Miss Yuna's number while Monika pulled out her console and began to sift through the character folders. She wore a focused expression as she searched through countless files and documents. Yes, that focused expression that could only be seen when she is either reading or studying, I love that expression of hers. I pressed call and waited for an answer while I took a look at my character file.

" Wow! I didn't know endurance was that high! I mean, 9 out of 10 points is pretty high, right?" I exclaimed as I took a look at my other statistics.

" Strange... It wasn't that high before. With levels like that, you could walk off a shot to the abdomen and lungs..." Monika said as she swipes to the next window. It was a collection of logs and commands that would activate if I did a set of actions.

" Hmmm... Nothing new is wri- Huh?! What the hell... It's an automatic respawn command, and a few logs with time stamps for this week." Monika glossed at each one of them, her eyes widening after each one.

" No... I... I can't believe this..." Monika stuttered out as she took a look at the log before I died.

" _Tortured for 16 straight ours_... And I didn't come to help you?" Monika began to shake in frustration.

" Yeah... But it wasn't your fau-"

" You got kidnapped because you bought condoms for us! That! That is messed up!" Monika said as she glared at the logs in front of her. Suddenly, my phone stops ringing and a sleepy voice answers my call.

" He... llo?" Miss Yuna lets out a yawn.

" H-Hi... Sorry for waking you up, I was just checking in on you. Sorry." I said in an apologetic tone.

" What the f- It's five in the morning! Your teacher needs her beauty sleep you know!" Miss Yuna said before hanging up on me. An expected reply.

I sigh and stretched out my arms. I need to do some preparations for today. Monday is supposed to feel like a Monday, but today seems more hectic. I got out of bed and looked at Monika. Her slender body sprawled on top of my bed with her top slightly unbuttoned is a sight to behold. It was like staring at a beautiful statue of a goddess. Her thighs and long legs entices me to just keep laying beside her, but I resisted this urges.

" Monika, I need you to keep an eye on Yuri. We might be able to prevent the events of today." I said to her as I took a look at my phone.

" Sure, you can count on me. But, if I may ask, how will we prevent the death of that girl?" Monika asked while she read the log for today quietly.

" Hmm, she died because she tried to ambush me. Yuri found out about this so she killed her in cold blood. If I could just prevent being ambushed, then I don't think she'll die. Simple!" I said as I snap my fingers. I smiled at this brilliant plan of mine.

" Yes, an amazing plan, but not efficient. You see Yoku, we don't need to avoid your ambush if we just prevent the encounter that will happen later. We'll just convince Yuri to walk with us and that whole scene would be avoided." Monika had a smug look on her face.

" Heh, figures. Of course the president would have a better plan than me. Wait a minute... Monika, we could avoid all the deaths with this simple solution!" I exclaimed with a smile on my face.

" Monika, Yuri began her killing spree with this girl. Miss Yuna was dragged in when she decided to investigate... We could prevent everything with such a simple action!" I said in excitement. Monika pondered for a bit before smiling.

" The Butterfly Effect, huh? We could prevent people from being killed just by doing something as simple as inviting Yuri for breakfast. What a joke. A cruel joke." Monika muttered as she got out of bed.

I went through my contacts again and found Yuri's number. I press call and we waited for an answer. A few moments later, she picks up. Her breathing is raspy and short, like she was in pain. I could hear her wince in pain and fumble around. I heard the faint sound of steel being placed on a surface.

" A-Ah, Y-Yoku! Good morning! For what r-reason did you call m-me at such an hour?" She said in a calm yet flushed tone.

" I... I just want to ask if you would like to eat breakfast with us! Yeah, everyone's here so I figured I might as well invite you. You ok with that?" I said in a calm yet inviting manner. There was a short pause with what I presume is her hiding her shouts of excitement.

" Y-Yes! I'd be glad to come over!" She answered with a hint of excitement in her voice.

" That's nice to hear! See you at 6! Bye!"

I immediately hang up and let out a sigh of relief.

" That went well." Monika said as she opened the door.

" Yeah... That it did... Let's go cook breakfast." I said as I followed her out the door.

We went down to the kitchen and saw Maido reading the Parfait Girls Manga. She glanced at us before continuing to read the manga.

" Good Morning... Monika, Yoku..." Maido said without looking at us.

" Morning... Maido, I'll be cooking breakfast today so you can relax." I said as I put my apron and opened the refrigerator.

" Ok... I want Omurice." Maido said as she flipped a page.

As I prepped the ingredients for today's breakfast, I let out a chuckle. How amusing, I'm gonna feed the woman who just killed me in my past life. Fate has a sick sense of humor. A sense of humor that makes my blood boil as I think about it. I reach for the knife on the counter, inspecting it as I hold it close to me. I can't help but shiver at the sight of it. I hope I don't die like this again.


	45. Prevention is Better than the Cure pt1

I finish making the banana pancakes for our breakfast, along with the Omurice Maido requested. I can't help but notice that the events of this morning is different than the one in my past life. While I plated the dishes with fruits, the door flung wide open as Natsuki and Sayori waltz in with a smug look on both of their faces. They carried a small box with them as they walked towards the living room, grinning as they did so.

" Will you look at this! We found a small box while cleaning out Akami-sensei's room and you would not believe what's inside!" Natsuki smiled as she opened up the box. Inside are notebooks, teaching materials, and a lot of class pictures and photos of the female faculty members.

" God, what a pervert... Look at this! He has a class picture of every classroom, and on the back of it he listed down the girls in the order of... well..." Natsuki became flustered as she looked at a photo. Wait, no, I was wrong. She wasn't flustered, she is fuming.

" DAMN AKAMI-SENSEI! HOW CAN I BE LAST PLACE IN MY CLASSROOM?!" Natsuki stomped on the floor as she threw the picture on the ground.

It landed face down, revealing a backside with neat handwriting. Upon closer inspection, it was the names of the girls in the section. They were listed in the order of... what the fuck? They were listed by the size of their busts and waists. The picture I was looking at is Natsuki's class, and the last place in this list is Natsuki. No surprise there.

" OHHH?! N-NATSUKI! L-LOOK A-AT THIS!" Sayori blurted out as she looked at Yuri's class photo. Natsuki glanced at it and her eyes immediately widened.

" She's in first place! I-Is she really this big?! H-How is she not feeling any strain on her back?!" Natsuki stammered out as she fell to the floor.

" Wooow! He even made a list of my class. Still, I appreciate his comment." Monika said in amusement as she showed me the backside of her class picture. Monika is in third place in terms of her breast, but I can see a comment beside her name.

 **Best thighs.**

" Tch, I'll kill him of he ever tries to touch any of you." I said as I took off my apron.

" Ahaha! Don't worry, I'll be the one to delete him if I get my chance." Monika said to me before taking a seat.

The other three placed the pictures back in the box before taking a seat in the table. Maido immediately began to eat her Omurice while Sayori and Natsuki stared at the extra plate beside them.

" Hey, Yoku... Is this for Akami-sensei? You know he left yesterday, right?" Natsuki said as she looked at the plate sadly.

" Nope! That's for our gue-" I was cut off when we heard soft knocking from outside. The door slowly creaked open to reveal a head timidly peeping from outside.

" H-Hi! Good morning... M-May I come in?" Yuri said in a shy voice, fidgeting as she took a look at the interior of my house. She was already wearing her uniform when she got here.

" Of course! I've prepared a seat and a meal for you." I said calmly before gesturing to the empty seat on my table. Natsuki and Sayori fell silent as they eyed Yuri while she walks towards us.

She unsteadily pulled out her chair and sat down. Even if she moved timidly, I can't help but notice that air of elegance around her. She picked up her fork and poked at the pancake before her. Monika and I ignored her but Sayori and Natsuki kept watching her.

" Hm..." Yuri finally notices the stares she was getting from the two.

" A-Ah... Is something the matter?" Yuri's face turned beet red as the gaze of the two grew more intense.

" Hey, Yoku..."

" Yes, Natsuki?"

" Why is she here?" Natsuki said before she chomped down on a strawberry on her fork.

" Ah... Y-Yoku... invited me over..." Yuri said in an nervous tone.

" Don't scare her! Yuri, don't mind her, she's really glad you're here." Sayori said as she poured honey on her pancakes.

" Wha?! I-I'm not... Geez, Yoku! Tell me when we're having someone else over! Hmph!" Natsuki said before taking a swig of her orange juice.

" Ahaha! Sorry, sorry. I'll warn you next time if we're gonna have guests come over." I said in an apologetic tone. Natsuki huffs at me and continued to eat her pancakes.

" S-Sorry... It seems m-my presence has distur-"

" Just shut up and eat. You didn't ruin my mood. I'm just pissed that Akami-sensei isn't here anymore." Natsuki said before taking a bite out of a strawberry.

" Natsuki! Sorry Yuri, Natsuki here is just cranky that I was the one who gave her a kiss on the forehead this morning! Ehehe!" Sayori giggled before immediately being grabbed by the shoulders and lightly shaken.

" SHUT UP! DON'T TELL THEM THAT!" Natsuki gritted her teeth while Sayori laughed in amusement.

" But you were saying you wanted a kiss on the forehead while you were sleeping!"

" I WAS ASLEEP! I WAS NOT IN MY RIGHT MIND YOU DAMN AIRHEAD!"

We all laughed along with Sayori as Natsuki turned bright shade of red due to her embarrassment. Even Yuri, who was sitting quietly just moments ago, let out a muffled giggle.

" This is not the morning I was expecting at all!!!" Natsuki yelled out as she continued to shake Sayori. I heard Yuri discreetly call my name while this scene is unfolding.

" Is it always this lively in this house?" She asked in a curious tone.

" Hmmm... More or less. Anyways, do you like the pancakes?" I asked Yuri.

" Yes. It tastes quite superb." Yuri answered in a pleased tone.

" Glad to hear tha- Hey! Sayori! Don't take my strawberry!" I tried to snatch it back with my fork, but she already took it and took a bite put of it.

" Sorry! I really like strawberries." Sayori smiled as she chewed on my strawberry.

" Oh well, it can't be helped. Anyways, hurry up. We're gonna be late." I said before gulping down the last bite of my pancakes.

 ***DDLC:Our Reality***

I finished taking a quick shower and putting on my uniform. I took out the notebook Akami-sensei gave me and quietly sighed. It seems that just by changing my actions in the morning causes the world to go into a different timeline very much different my last life. I took a look at the the time, around 7 in the morning. An hour before school starts. A whole hour for me to pan what to do today. I went down the stairs as I formulated a plan. A great plan, a plan that would save both Yuri and myself from our deaths. My thoughts were interrupted however when I saw Yuri holding the pen Akami-sama left me. That's right! Maido was supposed to be crying this morning, but she wasn't. She was supposed to hand me the pen and letter that Akami-sama left me. Yuri notices this and immediately puts the pen down on the tabletop.

" S-Sorry... Ah... I can't help but notice this intricate design of your pen." Yuri said as she played with a strand of her hair between her fingers.

" It's fine. You can have it if you want. Akami-sensei gave it to me." Her eyes widened at the mention of Akami-sama's name.

" I... I see... Thank you. Um... Do you... know where Akami-sensei currently is right now?" She asked cautiously. She glanced around the room like she was looking if someone is watching her.

" Not really... Probably on a plane." I lied.

"... Ok. D-Do you kn-... Nevermind." She turned her head away from me and place the pen in the pocket of her blazer.

" Anyways, let's go. They're probably waiting for us outside." I said to Yuri before walking over to the door and opening it.

" Y-Yes. Tardiness is our enemy." Yuri smiled as we walked out together. We waved goodbye to Maido while she watered the plants outside before we all walked to school together.

The walk to school is as lively as ever. Monika and I walked behind the group while Natsuki and Sayori whizz around like arrows, admiring the world around them. Yuri behind them while she read a book. She would glance away from its pages from time to time to see where she was going. Looking at us, you could mistake us as nothing more but a group of friends walking to school together. But that is not the case. This facade hid what truly captivates everyone that played this game. On the surface, what you would see are four cute and dazzling girls, but in the center, is a horrible reality. The sweet cinnamon bun whose warm smile and energetic movement who could holds this club together, is suffering from depression. Although it has gotten better. Beside her, the little ball of anger and cuteness we call Natsuki is a survivor of child abuse. The shy and timid bookworm behind them becomes a terrifying, self-harming, serial killer when her feelings towards me are not reciprocated. The girl on my right, the one companion that could understand my pain and loneliness in this world, she's responsible for all of this. Yes, beneath her perfect exterior, lies a person that is willing to throw away their friends and family just to be together with me.

I felt uneasy as I thought about this, but I tried my best not to show it. Eventually, we reached the school and we all went to our separate ways. But, before we did so, I told Monika to accompany Yuri to her classroom to prevent any incidents from occurring. I said goodbye to them and I walked towards my classroom. On the way however, I ran into someone with a foul mood. I heard a voice call out for me from behind me.

" Hey, Yoku! Would you care to explain?!"

" A-About what, Miss Yuna?" I said nervously while I slowly turned around to face her.

" Don't you 'What' me! Why the hell did you call me so early in the damn morning! I'm still suffering from a hangover from last night!" Miss Yuna pouted at me. I must admit, she looks cute when she is angry.

" I just wanted to make sure you're okay, that's all! Ehehe, Akami-sensei told me to check up on you." I once again, told a lie. She sighed and shook her head.

" Well, you're not wrong to check up on me. Man, that vodka he gave me is too damn strong! Look, I'll just talk to you later so go head to your classroom." Miss Yuna walked away while muttering some things about Russians and their alcohol.

I got into my classroom just as the bell rang. Once again, we did our usual mundane routine. Still, I must admit, Akami-sama made a great job creating this world. Every person here could be mistaken for a real person due to the different qualities and personalities each one has. But, even with such knowledge, I didn't talk to anyone in my classroom even though they are capable of holding a conversation. I slept through my classes, only waking up for tests and quizzes. As lunch drew closer, I called out to Monika with the message command she taught me.

" _Hey, I won't be able to join you guys at Lunch today. I'm going to work on my plan for this whole fiasco."_ I waited for my reaponse.

[ Ok. I'll tell them you're working on a poem. Tell me if you come up with something]

I smile, thankful I have such an understanding president and lover. I continued to sleep in peace as the classes dragged on. Lunch flew by while I slept like a baby, it's surprising. The last few classes rolled by and before I knew it, classes are finally dismissed. I place my things in my bag and head towards the club room. But as I made my way towards the club, I could feel that something is amiss. Something isn't right. I cautiously approached the spot where I got ambushed in my last life.

" Hey! Mister!" A familiar voice called out to me from the girl's bathroom. It was the girl that bullied Yuri. Well, used to. Behind her is a group of girls that followed her around.

" You..." I said as I back away slowly from here.

" Hmm? Sorry, have we met before?" She asks in a curious tone as she tilts her head to the side. That's right! Since we didn't stop her from bullying Yuri from earlier, she wouldn't have met us. Looks like the plan is still going great so far.

" No... But let me just say, if you're gonna mess with me, be prepared." I said while I enter a fighting stance. She paused for a moment, her eyeing me down from head to toe before laughing.

" No! No! Ahaha! Why would I do that? We're here to ask if Yuri is in there. We have some business to settle with her." She said as she glanced at the hallway leading to the clubroom.

" No, she isn't here. Now go away." I said before turning away from them. This pissed the girl off and she immediately lost her composure.

" Tch, don't get so high and mighty. Who the hell do you think you are?!" She yelled out loudly.

" I'm Yoku, and if I were you, it's time to run with your tails between your legs. Trust me." I finally figured out why I felt that something was off.

" Huh?! You think you're fucking scary?! Do ya?!" This girl is pissing me off. I turn around and sigh.

" I'm not scary, but she is." I point at Yuri, who is glaring at the girl with malicious intent. No wonder I felt like someone was watching me since earlier. She must've been stalking me from the shadows. The girl frowned at her and she seemed irritated.

" You think you could scare us with that look?! You and your dumb friend here could go and kiss my ass with your act! I have friends that could beat the living shit out of shit face over here!" The girl continued to insult me and Yuri. I ignored her and kept my attention at Yuri's hands. I could see the glimmer of metal from her pocket.

I sigh and turn around, pulling out my phone and hovering my finger above Monika's number. She can stop this, but that girl is really pissing me off.

Now, do I walk away or do I stop Yuri from absolutely slaughtering this girls?


	46. Prevention is Better than the Cure pt2

I took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. I looked over at Yuri one last time, gesturing to her discreetly to calm down. She nods and slowly closes the distance between us. I turned my attention to the bullies that stood in the way towards the literature club.

" Look, I don't know what's your business with Yuri over here, and frankly, I don't care." I squint at the blonde girl in front me. She does not seem deterred by this but her friends are clearly feeling uneasy right now.

" You little- Do you know who I am?! Do you think your threats would get to me?!" She seems super pissed right now.

" I'm Natalia von Altau-"

" Did I ask for your name? I didn't think so." I rudely dismissed her introduction. Everyone, including Yuri, let out a gasp.

" I'm one of the most powerful students in this school..." She growled in anger.

" You, middle classman, dare insult a daughter of a rich politician?!" She stomped her foot on the ground, her eyes now burning with anger. I sigh and turned my back towards her and smirked.

" I don't care about your status or your family background. I don't recall ever asking you about it, so could you please get your annoying, bitchy ass mouth out of here?" I retorted before grabbing Yuri's hand and walking away.

" Y-You'll pay for this! You hear me?! You're fucking dead when I get my chance!" She yelled out before panting in anger.

" Heh, like I care. I'll take on anyone you send my way!" I yelled back at her before laughing. I heard her stomp the floor before finally walking away while her group murmured among themselves.

I look over at Yuri. The angry expression that she wore earlier has vanished. Her face is flushed, she was dripping with sweat, her palms are shaking and she shook nervously. It seems simply holding her is enough to get her flustered. As we walk together towards the door, I took this opportunity to talk with her.

" Hey, don't worry about those pricks. I'll be the one to handle them so don't go and do anything rash." I let go of her hand and looked her straight in the eye.

" Hurting yourself is bad, but hurting others is even more so." I pause for a moment and placed a hand on Yuri's quivering shoulder.

" So try your best not to hurt people. Okay?" Yuri nods slowly at me before averting her gaze once again.

After this, I slowly opened the door and we enter the room. Yuri immediately went to her seat and pulled out her book. Monika smiled and cocked her head to the side.

" Ahaha, how did it feel to disrespect the second most richest student in the school? Did it feel good?" Monika whispered to me as I sat beside her.

" Tch, I can't stand spoiled brats like her. I don't fucking care if she uses her father's influence to fuck me up. I have a god looking out for me." I said before scratching my head.

" Oh? Even I don't try to pick fights with her, yet here you are brushing her off like dust on your shoulder." Monika chuckled.

" Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure you'd delete her existence if I said so. Anyways, I think I'm gonna go relax for a while. Read a book with Yuri." I said to Monika as I glance at Yuri. She sat quietly in a corner, reading her book in silence.

" Sure, no problem. Besides, I told Sayori and Natsuki to go buy some snacks for me yet they haven't returned yet. I'll go check on them." Monika said to me before leaving the room.

I looked around the nearly empty room. The only ones here are me, Yuri and the two lovebirds in one corner of the room.

I walked over to where Yuri is sitting and sat down beside her. She was surprised by this, but she kept her calm composure.

" H-Hello... I see you've taken an interest in my book." She muttered out as she adjusted her posture so that I could see the words more clearly.

" Yup. I have read it before, but I still cannot understand it." She was caught off guard by this. It seems she was expecting me to say that this is my first time reading this book.

" R-Really?! T-Then what is your favorite part of the story?" Her eyes stared into mine. A hint of excitement and anticipation can be seen from her violet gaze.

" I... I guess the part where the cultists captured the protagonist." That is literally the only part I remember in the Portrait of Markov.

" Ah! I see! The chapter before the climax... Hmm, interesting. What made you enjoy that particular part of the story?" Yuri asked. I pause for a moment, figuring out the best way to put my thought into words.

" I just like it for no particular reason."

" O-Oh... okay..." Her excitement drained away as she heard my answer.

 _Nice. What a GREAT reason. You nailed this one. Damn idiot me._

After that, we spent the next fifteen minutes in awkward silence as we read the book. At some point, the Yosuke and Amy got out the room to buy some food. I spaced out for a moment, my mind danced around a certain idea of mine. A dangerous idea, but one that could prevent the long weekend. If this idea doesn't work, well at least it's still just the first day of the week.

" Hey Yuri..." She perked up as I called out her name.

" Y-Yes?!" Her face is red due to my close proximity.

" Do you like me?" Her face went pale at my question.

Another brief moment of silence fell between us. It didn't help that the deafening silence is amplified by t

the empty room. Yuri started hyperventilating, but she managed to calm herself down before talking.

" If... If I said I do, would you accept my confession?" Yuri looked at me with a serious expression.

" Sorry Yuri, but that's a no from me." I said to her in a calm tone before looking away.

A moment of silence fell between us once more. She looked at the floor in defeat. Then, she began to lauhj softly. That laugh, the laughter she made before she killed herself.

" Ahaha..."

This is funny.

" Ahaha... aha..."

Yes, what a cruel turn of events.

" Ahahahahahah!"

We were now both laughing together at our peculiar situation.

" Ahahahahah!"

This may be my final laughter in this life.

Yuri immediately pulls out her knife from her pocket. But, before she can stab herself repeatedly, a shocking turn of events unfolded.

The knife...

The knife I was supposed to stop...

...Found itself embedded deep into my gut. Yuri didn't tried to kill herself first, she immediately went for me. I stare motionlessly as she pulls out the knife from my body, causing my blood to spill out unto the floor. Then, as I sat there dumbfounded, she took the knife and stabbed herself repeatedly. I closed my eyes to shield me from the horror of seeing that gruesome sight.

 **Squelch**

 **Squelch**

 **Squelch**

 **Thud**

She drops to the floor. Dead. I wanted to save her, but I failed again. I fucking failed on the first day. What an idiot I am. But! I will admit, this is just a test run. I didn't care about what will happen to her. I just wanted to see if the confession is the trigger for a death scene. It turns out, I am right. This was my plan for the first phase, to find out what is the deathflag. Now that I found out that her confession is a death sentence, I've finally got my plan.

" Yuri, wait for me. I'll save you soon. So, please bear with this for a while longer." I muttered out before passing out.

 **Author's Note.**

 **Hey! Sorry for the recent short chapters. Haha! Let me fill you guys in on something so that you won't be dissapointed if the next chapter is short.**

 **Short= Yoku dies within three days.**

 **Long= Yoku lives for more than three days.**

 **Don't tell the Author that I wrote this! I'm just using the Author's note to provide exposition to you guys.**

 **\- Akami-sama**


	47. A Better Plan?

I woke up on my bed once again, frowning as I did so. I didn't really waste my second life, but I felt that I could've played that better. I could feel Monika pressing her body against mine. I don't what to say to her.

" Hey, Monika..." I lightly tap her shoulder.

" Mmmm... Five more minu-"

" I died. I got stabbed by Yuri and I died."

I kept staring at her with a blank look on my face. She kept her head buried in the pillow as I maintained my sight on her. Finally, after a while, she got up and gave me a confused look.

" Eh? Did you have a bad dream, dear?"

" Just... don't sweat the details. Look, that doesn't matter. I finally have a plan on how to prevent Yuri from dying." I said in a soft tone.

" Okay... I have some questions..." Monika said as she yawned.

" How did you die?" Monika sat upright and stretched her arms.

" Well... Um... Don't be mad, but I died for a good reason..."

I began to tell her about the events that occurred in my first respawn. On how I died within the span of a single day. I told her all about my hunch with Yuri's confession and on how it could be the trigger for a death flag. Monika listened intently, her gaze is a mix of both frustration and disappointment. I finished telling her all about my last respawn and I waited for her response. Out of nowhere, a pillow hit my face and Monika began to shake me violently.

" Are you an idiot?! Are you fucking kidding me?! You died just to test if your hunch is correct?! My god, Yoku! That's the most stupid plan I've heard!" Monika continued to shake me in anger.

" I'm sorry! I won't do it again so please stop!" I cried out helplessly.

" Tch. You're a reckless idiot! I could've checked the script for that if you asked me. You didn't have to go ahead and die! Damn it Yoku..." Monika lets go of me and stopped shaking me. She sighs and furrows her brows together.

" I'm sorry. I won't do it again." I whimpered out.

" Just... Just tell me when you're gonna do these kinds of things. It's already quite a shock to wake up and find out the love of your life has already been killed two times by one of your friends." Monika is clearly unnerved at this thought.

" Y-Yeah... got it. Um, hey... could you do me a favor?" I shyly asked Monika.

" Hmm? What is it?"

" Could you come up with a plan on how we could prevent Yuri from confessing to meme while at the same time helping her cope with her self harm issues?" I chuckled nervously while I waited for her response.

" After hearing about your recklessness, I'm obligated to do it. Anyways, let me have a look at your logs to see where we could possibly fail." Monika replied calmly. I handed her the notebook and she began to read quietly. Then, she pulled out the game's script and began to compare the two.

" I see... Hmm... Saving this girl would lead to this... Forcing a confession leads to instant death for the player. Now I get it. Yoku! I know where you went wrong." Monika's frown was replaced by that of a smile.

" You see Yoku, the world might have changed, but the script is still there. What we need to do is to break the script. Like what we did with Sayori and Natsuki." Monika pulled out some more files.

" The best way to do that is by having Yuri take another approach when it comes to her confession and her eventual rejection. Try spending some time with her for the entire week to see if she'll get a grasp of what love is." Monika said before standing up. She picked up her signature white bow from the nightstand and tied her hair into a ponytail.

" Looking at what you did in your last lives, it seems you spent your time avoiding her instead of helping her." She said to me in a soft tone.

" Yeah... I was afraid that she'll kill me. It didn't help that I was right." I shake my head in guilt.

" I don't blame you. If I remember correctly, she told me to go kill myself in the game. Then, I found out that she tortured the two of us in your first life! Sheesh, what a handful." Monika finished tying up her hair.

" You said it. Man, this is so tiringSo, I just do the exact same thing I did in my second life?"

" Yeah. Except for the part where you died. Call Yuri over for breakfast and let's try not get ourselves killed." Monika smiled and pats my head.

After that conversation, we head downstairs to find Maido slumped on the sofa. Once again, it seems the timeline had changed. She was holding the pen Akami-sama gave me and its accompanying letter. I sat down beside her and comforted her. After she poured out her sadness, I told her to go relax for a while. She laid down on the sofa and quietly contemplated about life while I set to work on our breakfast. Monika invited Yuri over, stating that it would be nice to have more people over. While I made breakfast for six people, Monika began brewing our coffee. She kept humming the tune of 'Your Reality' while slowly brewing the coffee. Then, she stops humming.

" Hey, Yoku..."

" Yeah?"

" If... If you die again... Don't be afraid to ask for my help again. I'll do my best to help you, so please don't lose hope." Her voice is quivering whilst her hands tremble, spilling drops of coffee on the counter.

" Ahaha, of course! You're my partner, right? We both want the best ending and as I see it, I can't achieve that without your help." I said before turning off the heat on the stove.

" Yeah... You're right. I'm just worried about you..." Monika turned her back towards me and sets down my cup of coffee on the table.

" Look, Yoku. Take ca-"

 **SLAM**

" Good morning~! That smells delicious! Thanks for the meal! Ehehe!"

" Yo! I'm starving, what's for breakfast?"

Sayori and Natsuki enter the house. They were still wearing their pajamas and their hairs are a bird nest. Natsuki is wearing her pink pajamas with the cute cat design on its top. Sayori on the other hand, is wearing a white T-shirt two sizes bigger than her and blue shorts. Her T-shirt has a sun in the center as its design. They took a sit in the dining room and stared at me while I folded up the omelettes to encase the fried rice.

" I heard Yuri is coming over for breakfast. Is there a special occasion?" Natsuki asked while she ogled the steaming ball rice and egg in front of her.

" Not really. I just wanted to have the literature club eat together." I retorted.

" Well, the more the merrier! Let's ea-" Sayori was cut off by a knocking on the door. The door slowly opened and Yuri meekly peeks inside.

" G-Good morning... W-Was I too early?" She said in a timid voice.

" Nope! You're just on time. Come in and have a seat." Monika said invitingly at her, gesturing to the empty seat beside her.

" A-Ah... T-Thank goodness. I thought I was too early. Ahaha!" Yuri chuckled nervously as she sat beside Monika.

" Coffee? Oh wait, oops! Ahaha! I forgot, you prefer tea. Hold on a sec, I'll go and make some for you." Monika stood up and walked over to the counter. She took out the tea set in the cupboard and begin to make Yuri some Oolong tea. Her favorite kind of tea.

" Thank you... Sorry, I don't eat at other people's houses that often." Yuri said shyly. I notice Yuri squirming uncomfortably in her seat.

" Yuri are y-"

 **Pop**

" Ah! My eye!" Natsuki recoils in discomfort. A button on Yuri's came flying off from her blazer and accidentally hits Natsuki.

" I-I'm sorry! A-Are you ok?" Yuri gets uo and takes a look at Natsuki.

" I'm fine! Geez!" Natsuki hisses at Yuri defensively.

" I... I was just seeing if you're fine, there is no need to be so defensive..." Yuri said calmly.

" Don't get mad, Yuri! She's just jealous because you have a big ra-"

" It's probably her posture. If you keep moving around with your blazer tightly buttoned uo, things like this are bound to happen." I abruptly cut off Sayori so that Yuri won't feel even more embarrassed by the situation. Thankfully, Sayori notices this.

" Y-Yeah... Posture..." Yuri is still embarrassed by this.

" In the first place, why did you wear a blazer that doesn't fit you?!" Natsuki asked Yuri while she rubs her eye.

" N-No... I found it surprising too. I think I hit a growth... Ah... You know what I mean!" Yuri gets flustered trying to say her boobs experienced a growth spurt. I won't blame her.

" Tch.. _. I want to have a growth spurt too..."_ Natsuki mutters out something, but I didn't hear it. Monika places the hot cup of tea in front of Yuri and sits down beside me.

" Anyways, breakfast is ready. Eat it before it gets cold." I said before placing a plate in front of them. Maido finally joins us in the table.

Each omelette has a message written in ketchup. Sayori has a drawing of a sun and under it is the words 'Ohaiyo Sayori!'. This puts a smile and a blush on her face. I drew a tiger on Natsuki's omelette, she had a confused expression. I decorated Monika's omelette with hearts. Her response to this is a giggle. Yuri received an intricate crisscross pattern on her Omurice. I don't know what to place there, but she seems to enjoy the design. Maido... well... asked for tons of sriracha on her omurice. I could feel my tongue burn just by looking at the amount of sriracha on her omurice. We chat cheerfully with each other as we ate. Mornings like this gives me energy to get through the day. Yup, especially on a Monday. Mondays are already horrible as it is, but imagine waking up on a Monday after you died. It sucks.

After we ate, Natsuki, Sayori and Monika had to go freshen up for school. It was still pretty early in the morning so we still have a lot of time. I sat beside Yuri and handed her a book. She was startled at first, but she soon eased up.

" Here, it's a pretty good read." She takes the book and inspected the cover.

" The Call of Cthulhu, H.P. Lovecraft..."

" Yeah, it's actually one of the first horror stories I've read. I enjoyed reading about the lore and hierarchy of the gods, especially the older gods. I think it is right up your alley. If you want, we could read it together later." I said to her in an excited tone. Guess I can't contain my excitement when it comes to Lovecraft.

" R-Really?! Ah! I-I mean, yes. I'd enjoy reading a book of your preference." Yuri blushed at the thought of her excitement and eagerness.

" Ahaha! Great! I hope you'd enjoy Lovecraft's signature cosmic horror." I smile, hoping that I'm not pushing Yuri to trying out something she doesn't like.

" I... I look forward to reading with you later." Yuri said before smiling back at me. It was a different smile, it was a warm smile. Not like the one she wore when she goes over the edge. This one is a smile devoid of malice.

After that rather short conversation, Monika came downstairs wearing her uniform. We got up, and said goodbye to Maido before we headed out. Natsuki and Sayori are waiting outside of their house. With this, we begin to walk towards school. We weren't in a rush so our pace was brisk at most. As the others talked about matters concerning the club, I let my mind wander around. I took in the feeling of the fuzzy, warm sun, the fragrant scent of the different flowers and plants, and the light, cool breeze hitting my skin. They didn't seem to pay much attention to me while I walked quietly than usual.

We reach the school grounds after a while. I notice that things seem to be going exactly the same as my second life. No, it's probably my imagination. I sat down in my classroom and waited for homeroom to start. Then, after the first few classes, my suspicion is confirmed. The timeline is now exactly the same as my second life. I let out a sigh, knowing I would have to deal with Natalie? Natalia? What's her name? Yeah, I have to deal with her again. I let out a brief sigh and I decided I'd just try to get through the day as quickly as possible.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

I pack up my things and headed towards the clubroom. On my way, I readied myself mentally for the shit I have to handle as I pass by the girl's bathroom. However, something is off. Way off. The air is much heavier than usual, and I could feel myself getting goosebumps all over. As I turn the corner, I could hear a faint whimper. I slowly made my way towards the club room. But, as I passed through the girl's bathroom, I saw a drop of blood on the floor. This immediately sent my body on high alert, causing me to shiver and look around my surroundings. I guess I made a lot of noise, cause whoever is in the bathroom heard me. The whimpering and wincing stops, and I heard that all too familiar voice call out to me.

" H-Hello?! I-Is anyone there?!"

I don't know what to do.

I stayed silent in fear.

" Please!"

I need to do something.

" Help... me..."

Bully or not, I need to save her. I drop my bag and head inside the girl's bathroom. I hope I don't get seen by anyone.


	48. Is it Really a Better Plan?

I enter the bathroom to see if the scene is as bad as I've imagined it. There wasn't as much blood as I thought there was, but there are still blood splattered around. I peeked my head inside one of the stalls. I was met by a bloody and gruesome sight. Natalia is sitting on one of the toilets, her hands covered in gashes.

" What the hell?! What happened?!" I rushed inside the stall to check her injuries. I notice her face was extremely red.

" W-Wha?! G-Get out of here! This is the girl's bath- Argh! It stings!" She screamed out as I touch her wrist.

" Can you just help me get outside?! You know how embarrassing it would be if someone sees us?! Ow! Ow!" I pull her out of the bathroom, taking her blazer that is hanging on one of the doors with me. The moment we got out of the door, she yanks her hand away from me.

" W-Who the hell are you, creep!" She looks at me as if I just did her a great discourtesy. Which is probably true considering I just barged into the girl's bathroom.

" Look, worry about that later. You're in a pretty bad shape right now. Mind if you tell me who did this?" I said as I hand her the blazer. She takes this and looks around cautiously.

" It's... It's..." She froze in horror. Her eyes focused intently on someone behind me.

" A-Ah... Y-Yoku... What happened here?!" Yuri's voice is filled with genuine concern.

" G-Get away from me!!!" Natalia tried to stand and get away from Yuri, but she slipped and fell to the floor.a

" Yuri! D-Did you do this to her?!" I asked angrily as I shielded Natalia from Yuri.

" N-No! That's absurd! Why would I do that?!" Yuri must've felt insulted.

" Look, just go tell Monika what happened. I'll bring her to the infirmary." I place a hand over Natalia's shoulder and lifted her up.

" You shut your mouth and don't say a word about this." I said to Natalia in a frustrated voice as we begin to walk away from Yuri.

There is only an awkward silence as we walk slowly towards the infirmary. She hid her wounds using her blazer. I would get judgemental and strange looks from the people around us from time to time, but only Natalia seems to take notice of this. Her face is now extremely red due to a mix of both embarrassment and anger.

" Don't walk so close to me!" She hissed.

" Tch. This is why I hate being with bitches li- * **bump*** Oof!" I fell flat on my bottom as we turned a corner. I look up to see Natsuki, who is also rubbing her back due to bumping into me.

" What the?! Yoku?! What the hell are you doing here? And why are you with this... girl here?!" Natsuki glared at Natalia.

" You know this pipsqueak?" She said while she smirked at Natsuki.

" Shut it. Look, just go to the club. I need to bring her to the infirmary." I said before grabbing Natalia by the wrist. But Natsuki quickly stood up and blocked my way.

" I'm coming with you. I don't trust this slut here, she might do something horrible to you." Natsuki insisted. I could tell she was getting on Natalia's nerves.

" Fine. But don't pick a fight with her on the way there. And you too, Natalia. Don't cause a scene with Natsuki here." I said sternly. Their response is an uneasy nod.

We still have to go down a floor before we arrive at the infirmary. Natsuki kept glancing at Natalia. She seemed concerned about the bloodstains on her blazer. After a few more minutes, we saw the door to the infirmary just ahead of us.

" Hey, I have a question before we leave you." I said calmly. She cocked back her head to hear what I've gotta say.

" Would you... still pick on Yuri after this?" I asked timidly. She lets out a sigh and tosses back her hair.

" Tch, how can I pick on her if I just did the same shit she does." Natalia muttered out as she took a look at one of her wrists.

" What did you say?" Natsuki and I asked in shock and unison.

" I slit myself. I dunno why, but I felt the urge to go cut myself earlier. Strange. I never really expected I was a type of person who likes to cut themselves." We stopped in front of the door. Natsuki and I gave each other a concerned look. I decided I'll just bring this up later with her.

" Look, don't think we're friends or anything! You just did me a solid by helping me stop cutting myself! It was scary not being in control of your own body..." She muttered out while twirling a lock oh her hair.

" It was scary seeing your own hands move without your control... Wha? Hey! Where are you going?!" Natalia huffed in anger as I grabbed Natsuki by her waist and ran as fast as I could.

I could hear Natsuki whine and shout angrily. I carried her like a bag as I ran quickly towards the club room. I know of only one person that could make someone do that to themselves. My head is filled with confusion, and Natsuki's shouting didn't help that. Finally, I stop running and put down Natsuki. She then proceeded to kick me on my legs. It didn't hurt, but I could feel her kicks.

" Damn idiot! You're exposing m-me to the entire school! Why would you do that?!" Natsuki pouted and stopped kicking me.

" Sorry! I was in a rush. I wasn't thinking things through. Sorry." I smiled in a nervous manner.

" Hmph! That's not how you carry a lady! Anyways, I wanted to ask you something. H-Have you noticed anything weird going on?" Her irritated expression changed into that of an anxious one.

" I don't know why, but I feel that there is something off with Yuri... I feel like she is going through something..." Natsuki rubs her arm and averts her gaze from me.

" Yeah, I noticed it too. This might be a problem if we don't do something about this." I said calmly.

" So, what you're saying is that you got this?" Natsuki asked timidly.

" Yeah, trust me. I'll figure out what's wrong and I'll go help her if she needs help." I said in a cheerful voice.

" Y-Yeah... You can handle this, so I'm going to let you do your own stuff with her without disturbing you guys..." She sighs and looks at me reluctantly.

" You better go figure out what's happening with Yuri or... or I'll beat you up! Got that?!" Natsuki puffed her cheeks out and glared at me. Man, what a cute tsundere.

" Sure. I'll do my best." I ruffle her hair, causing her to recoil in irritation.

" Stop doing that with my hair! Geez, let's go back to the damn club. Monika is probably getting pissed that you're not there." Natsuki shoves my hand aside and walks away.

I quietly follow her to the club room. We opened the door gently and peeked inside. Sayori was sitting in one corner of the room, happily snacking on a cookie. Amy and Yosuke are reading a light novel near the front of the room. Natsuki dashed inside in a flurry, rummaging through her bag. It seems the cookie Sayori was eating was Natsuki's. As Natsuki scolded Sayori, I looked around the room to find Yuri. I could see that she was reading a book in solitude. She's probably angry at me for my false accusation earlier. I was about to walk over to her when I felt a tug on the back of my blazer. I look at my back only to be met by an emerald green gaze. Monika smiled and cocked her head to the direction of the door. She pulled me hastily outside and closed the door behind us.

" Did you like it?" She asked eagerly.

" Like what?" I asked her.

" What I made that NPC do to herself."

" What?"

" I made that rich girl cut herself." My suspicions were correct. But, I don't know why, but even if I have expected this, I can't help but feel betrayed.

"Before you get mad, let me explain. I figured that if she does the same thing Yuri does to herself, she won't have a reason to go pick on Yuri. Right? Am I wrong?" She smiled proudly.

" But your methods are wrong! I don't want anyone to get hurt! Even if we get the desired results, the methods we used are unethical! Do you get it, Monika?" Monika paused for a moment, my words seemed to have hit a nerve.

" Y-Yeah... I get it. It's just that..." Monika frowned at me.

" This doesn't make sense. She's just an NPC, an imitation of a human. Why do you care so much about her?" She said in an angry tone as she folded her arms together.

" What the fuck, Monika?! Can you hear yourself right now?! How could you say that?!" I couldn't hide my shock. I clenched my fists in anger.

" Yoku, I'm only doing this for your sake! This may be a horrible way of doing it, but at least you won't risk yourself getting killed again." Her calm voice sort off ticked me off.

" No. I refuse to do it like this! This is wrong!" I said sternly.

" Listen to me, Yoku. No matter how real or detailed this world is, it is still a simulation. The only difference is that the amount of information in this world has increased to the point it nearly resembles your reality. The only real people in this world in this world is-"

" ENOUGH!" Monika jumped back in shock. I am shaking in anger after hearing that.

" No, you're wrong. Listen Monika, this might be the solution where success has a higher probability, but I refuse to go down this path if anyone else is gonna get hurt. AI or not, if they can think and feel, they're human and real. And..." I lower my tone a bit. I could see it. Under that calm facade of hers, is frustration and anger. She might look like she is calm right now, but I'm pretty sure she is pissed at my decision.

" ... And I don't want you to go down that path either. Look, I don't regret asking you for help with Yuri, but if you continue doing this, I definitely won't forgive you for this." I grit my teeth in frustration. Scolding the love of your life hurts, but it's for the best.

" I... I... I accept... If this is your decision, I must accept it." Monika finally, but reluctantly, agreed with me.

" But if this is how you want to do things, don't go crying later on if it backfires." Monika's tone had a hint of anger. She took a deep breath and opened the door gently. The calm and smiling expression she usually wore is back.

We enter the room like nothing happened. It seems no one heard us arguing outside, cause everyone is still doing their own thing. I glance over at Monika, she was writing something on a piece of paper. I let out a sigh and walked over to Yuri. She was engrossed in the book I lent her earlier. I cough softly to grab her attention. She glanced up and upon seeing me, tensed up.

" Mind if I read that with you?" I asked timidly.

" Ah! Of c-course! Here! Sit beside me." Her face is flushed red. I sat down and laid my back against the wall. I took a look at what chapter she is.

" Wow! You're pretty far, you're in the third part of the story. That's amazing." I remarked in genuine amazement. It would take hours for me to read that far.

" Oh, I-I've been reading in my free time." Yuri smiled proudly.

" As expected of Yuri. Anyways, did you enjoy it?" I asked curiously.

" Y-Yes! It's bears a lot of similarities with The Portrait of Markov. I enjoy the cultist elements and the mystery elements of the plot." Yuri said proudly.

" Glad to hear that! It's nice to see someone enjoying the sub genre of horror that I enjoy the most." I chuckle to myself.

She places the book on our laps so that we could both read the book in ease. We quietly read the book, but we would occasionally engage in an intellectual discussion about it. We were both stuck in our own little world as we read The Call of Cthulu. We are already at the art where Thurston reads the manuscript written by Johansen about their encounter with R'lyeh and Cthulhu. I glanced at Yuri, seeing that she had a focused and hooked expression in her face. Her eyebrows are furrowed, her eyes focused solely on the text in front of her, her long, silky violet hair dangling by the side of her face. I was mesmerized by this, I never noticed how beautiful Yuri is when she is so focused. Yuri finally notices that I was staring at her, and she began to feel uneasy and self-conscious.

" I-Is there s-something on my face?" I quickly avert my gaze. I could feel my cheeks turn red.

" N-No... I was just spacing out! Ahaha! Sorry!" I rub the back of my head nervously. Yuri lets out a smile and shuts the book close.

" It seems reading has tired you out. Umm... perhaps you would like some tea before continuing?" Yuri's offer seems nice. Her gentle and inviting voice made it hard for me to refuse.

" Sure. I'll go help you make tea." We stand up and stretch our hands a little. We walked over to the closet and we took out Yuri's tea set.

Thankfully, Amy brought a thermos with hot water in it. I didn't have to worry about Yuri going outside and cutting herself. We settled for black tea, a delicious tea that helps soothes the nerves. While we brew our tea, I decided to ask Yuri about her habit of cutting herself.

" Hey, Yuri, if you don't mind me asking, does it hurt?" I ask softly while I carefully poured the hot water over the tea bag.

" Hmm? Pardon?" She asked nervously.

" When you... cut yourself. Like, does it feel good or does it hurt?" Yuri stops stirring her tea and pauses for a moment. She was mortified, all color drained from her face upon hearing my question.

" Y-You don't have to answer. Sorry, that was extremely rude of me." I could feel tension between us. I was about to change the subject, but Yuri shook her head.

" N-No... It's okay. When it comes to this subject regarding me, I trust that you are capable of keeping this confidential." Yuri smiled as she stirred her cup of tea.

" That's what friends do, right? They exchange information regarding their lives in order to bond and connect with each other." Yuri said in a calm and collected voice.

We sat down in our spot and settled down. Yuri began to tell her backstory while we drank tea. Even though I already know about her gruesome past, I acted as if it was my first time hearing it. She told her story about how she was adopted and how she was once part of a cult, though she did cut out the part where her name is not really Yuri. She explained that the pain of cutting herself came from the fact that she doesn't really know a lot on how to deal with feelings. She told me that, back when she was still a young girl in the cult, whenever she showed any emotions, the cultists would interpret that as sinful behavior and would punish her for it. I could see tears forming in her eyes as she recalled this traumatic events.

" S-Sorry... I'm such a weirdo, right? Not only do I deal with my feelings through self harm, but I have no idea about what I should do about my feelings." Yuri chuckled pitifully.

" Man, you really hate yourself, huh?" I lean back on the wall and looked at the ceiling.

" Y-Yeah... I must admit, I spend a majority of my time alone in my room in self-loathing. Ah... Ahaha..." She laughed nervously and in a self-deprecating manner before she hugged her legs and buried her face in her knees.

" I see... You cut yourself due to your hatred and frustration towards your inability to express your emotions and feelings in a positive and normal manner." I remarked in a calm voice. After a short pause, I heard Yuri giggle, then she began to laugh softly.

" Ahaha! If you say it like that... Ahaha... You sound like a psychiatrist! Ahaha!" Yuri continued laughing quietly, careful as to not alarm anyone else in the room.

" Heh, I guess you're right..." I glanced at Yuri's cheerful face. Her beautiful smile shone brightly with happiness. That smile... That smile that gave me hope...

I want to protect and treasure that smile...

And I may have found a way to do it.

" Hey, Yuri..."

" Y-Yes?"

I took a gulp and steeled myself.

" Are you free after school tomorrow?" I asked timidly.

" Yes, why?" She asked curiously.

" Well, I was thinking... If you're gonna spend your time either reading horror books or in your room self-loathing, why not help me buy groceries tomorrow?" I asked in an inviting manner.

There was a moment of silence between us. A loooong moment. A part of me screamed inside my head to book it out of here, while the other wanted to see how this will turn out. Yuri isn't doing well either. Her face is as red as a tomato, and she kept squirming uncomfortably. She kept staring at the ground while she tried to process my question. Finally, she recovered from her shock.

" S-Sure! I-It would b-be a nice opportunity to stock up on art supplies. Y-Yes... A f-friendly and not r-r-romantic bonding time with a friend..." Yuri stuttered out while she shakes nervously. I can't help but laugh at this.

" Ahaha! Great! I'll meet you at the school gates after club, okay?" I said as I stand up and gulp down the remains of my now warm cup of tea. Yuri nods before standing up and stretching her arms.

As soon as we finished talking, Monika clasps her hands together and smiles. She told us that it is getting pretty late and that we should head home. We all packed up our things, put away our belongings back in the closet neatly and said our goodbyes to each other before heading home. As our group parted from the others, I took one last glance at Yuri. She seemed happier and less psychotic as she walked away.

As we walk home, I took notice that the air between Monika and I seemed colder. I can feel a slight tension between us, an extremely uneasy tension. Natsuki and Sayori are too preoccupied with their discussion regarding what kind of cupcakes Natsuki should bake that they did not notice Monika's unusual silence. Whenever I glance at her, she would look at me and smile, but not this time. Her sight was straight ahead, it was like she was ignoring my presence.

" Hey Monika..."

" What?" She asked with a hint of irritation in her voice. Her loving gaze is now a glare filled with frustration and anger.

" N-Nothing... Sorry..." I looked away from her in fear.

"... I-" She stops what she was about to say. She takes a deep breath.

" I... I hope you have fun grocery shopping tomorrow." She said in a shaky voice before she stops walking. We all stop in our tracks and look at her.

" I'm... I'm going home to my house for tonight. Don't cook dinner for me..." Monika said in a low and soft tone before walking away from us.

" Monika, wait!" I was about to run after her, but she looked back at me. I could see that there is tears in her eyes.

" Please... I just want to be alone right now." Monika promptly runs away in the direction of her house. I wanted to chase after her, but a part of me told me to leave her be. I felt a stick hit me at the side of my head. I turned around to see Natsuki glaring at me while Sayori gave me a dissapointed look.

" What did you do?! You idiot, what did you do to make her cry?!" Natsuki demanded me to give her an explanation.

" I... I don't know."

" Bullshit! Once we get home, you better tell us what happened!" Natsuki grabbed Sayori by the wrist and angrily walked away from me. Sayori reluctantly followed her as she let out a flurry of words from her mouth about how stupid I am.

As the two went straight home, I decided to take a detour and go through the park to think. I surely hurt Monika with both what I said to her and my actions. But, I couldn't help but feel that she is being a little selfish. How could she think like that?! How could she say that as long as they're an NPC, it's okay if they died?! I sat on one of the benches and let out a sigh if frustration. I look at the time on my phone, it was a quarter to five. I decide that I should stay here until 5:30 pm to cool my head.

" Yo! Yoku! What are you doing here?" That familiar female voice called out to me from the distance. I turned my to the direction of the voice.

" Miss Yuna! What are you doing here?" Man, I'm so glad there's an adult around to talk-

" Oh, you know... drinking. I can't drink and drive so I'll just drink a few cans of beer here before going home." I stand corrected. The woman before me is not an adult, but an irresponsible teenager in the body of a woman in her 30's.

" That sounds so wrong on so many levels."

" You damn right it is! Luckily, my brother is meeting me in this park to pick up his PS4." Miss Yuna smiled as she pulled out a can of Heineken from her coat.

" And where is the PS4?"

" At my house." She took a swig from the can as she smiled smugly.

" Tch, you're an asshole." I said as I lean back on the bench.

" I would've scolded you right here for those words... If it wasn't true. Anyways, want some?" Miss Yuna offered me a cold one.

" No. I'm underage... Eh, fuck it. Give me that." I snag the can of beer from her hands and popped it open.

" That's the spiri-"

" Setsuna! What the hell are you doing with that kid?!" A deep, male voice shouted from behind us. We turned around to see a man in his late 30's, wearing an expensivelooking black suit, running towards us.

" Ah crap. Give that back Yoku, my brother is h- Oww!!!" I recoil in shock as the man pinched Miss Yuna's ear.

" What the fuck, Setsuna?! Why the hell would you give a minor alcohol?!" Miss Yuna's brother grabbed the two beer cans in Miss Yuna's hands and threw them in the nearby trash can.

" Ow! Ow! Owwww! Please stop hurting me, big brother!" The man reluctantly releases his grasp on Miss Yuna's ear. E sighs and looks at me.

" Sorry for the bad first impression. Hello, I'm Attny. Seiji Yuna. I'm the older brother of this goofball here. Who might you be?"

He asked nicely and in a gentlemanly fashion.

" I'm Yoku Shisegi. I'm a student of Miss Yuna." I answered timidly.

" I see... Well, you're probably hungry. Want to come eat with us at Setsuna, oh er, I mean Yuna's place? She makes a killer curry." He asked nicely.

" Oh, um... I-"

" Yoku! Please! Accept his offer! He'll scold me about my house if we're the only one- Ow!" Miss Yuna's brother flicked her on the forehead.

" I... I guess I can go." I said nervously.

" Ahaha! That's the spirit. Don't worry, I'll drive you home. Besides, I heard my sister received a new car as a gift..." Before I knew it, I was getting dragged along by the brother of my teacher, along with my teacher towards her car to eat curry at her house and help them clean up her house.

What the fuck happened? How did I end up here?! I just wanted to contemplate on my life choices alone!


	49. Miss Yuna's Place

I sat in the back seat of the car, smiling in amusement while I watched the two siblings argue with each other. Somewhere along the trip, Miss Yuna brought up the topic about her brother's relationship status.

" What do you mean you still don't have a girlfriend?! You damn virgin!"

" Shut up! At least I'm not a damn shut in with no chance in finding romance like you!"

" Fuck you! I'm still young, I could still experience a growth spur-"

" Hah! Yeah, keep lying to yourself about your chest and ass. I'm even surprised someone is in to you." Seiji admired the interior of the Toyota 86. Miss Yuna blushed at the accusation about her and Akami-sama's relationship.

" He just gave me this car since he won't need it anymore. Nothing more! Ask Yoku, Akami-sensei was his legal guardian before he left for his trip." Miss Yuna looked at me through the rear view mirror.

" Y-Yeah... Akami-sensei never had the time for a romantic relationship. And I'm pretty sure he chose to be single for life." I said meekly.

" Akami-sensei? Does everyone address him like that?" Seiji asked curiously.

" Yeah, even the other teachers address him like that. Probably because he has this amazing and broad knowledge of different subjects ranging from Mathematics to literature, but he mostly teaches Science." Miss Yuna said proudly, like a mother boasting about her son's achievements.

" Really? He sounds amazing. What else can you tell me about him?" Seiji asked.

" Well... He lives a typical Otaku lifestyle. Staying at home, watching anime, eating junk food, and playing video games. But he can be dependable at times, even if he lives like that, he is still a responsible person." I spoke in a calm voice while I remember the times when Akami-sama was still with us.

" No wonder my sister got along with him so well. He is exactly my sister's type!" Seiji teased. The two of us laughed together, but Miss Yuna is flustered at Seiji's teasing.

" N-No way! That guy is not my type! From what I know, he is a damn lolicon!" Miss Yuna huffs.

" No wonder he likes you. Your size and mannerisms are like that of a child." Seiji teased Miss Yuna once more.

" Geez! Just shut up and drive!" Miss Yuna let out a sigh of frustration.

After that conversation, we shifted our topic towards our hobbies and the likes. I found out that Seiji is an avid biker. Whenever he has free time from his job as a lawyer, he would go on long road trips on his Harley Davidson. I thought that his hobby was extremely cool, but he said that it really isn't as extreme as people imagine it. He said that being a biker doesn't mean he is automatically in some sort of gang, and that doesn't mean he have tattoos all over his body. I wonder why he had to elaborate on that, did he dealt with people that assumed he is that typical biker dude in the past? We continued to talk about his adventures and trips around the country. Hearing his story, I was now sure that Akami-sama made a huge world. In his stories, he told us that he once drove to the easternmost coast of the country to the western coast. It took him around two months just to finish his trip, but he said it was worth it. He met a lot of different people and he said that it was interesting to hear each and every one of their different and unique stories that they carried with them.

That got me thinking, are they really NPC's? These people clearly have their own stories to tell, not like those one dimensional side characters in a game. I fell silent, thinking about this. I was experiencing an ethical dilemma about the people in this world. I know that this reality is just an illusion created by a powerful being meaning that the people here, even me, is just an advanced AI. On the other hand, everyone here can think and act on their own accord, and not by some advanced form of commands and programming. I twiddled my fingers together as I tried my best to make sense of my situation. Suddenly, I felt the car slow down and eventually come into a complete stop. I looked outside to see a tall apartment complex that is three storeys high.

" We're here! Welcome to my place, Yoku!" Miss Yuna beamed brightly, her warm smile reminds me of Sayori's smile.

We quietly entered the building. It's premises is as silent as a cemetery at night. Besides us, the only people in the lobby is a lone security guard at the front and a young lady in her late teens at the front desk. We enter the elevator at the back and Miss Yuna pressed the button to the second floor. The elevator has a simple interior to it. Glass around the upper half and a fuzzy carpet as it's flooring. While we slowly ascended, my phone rang violently in my pocket. I picked it up and asked is it, only to be answered by loud, angry shouting.

" WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?! SAYORI IS WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU, YOU DUMMY!" Natsuki roared through the speakers.

" I'm with Miss Yuna at her place. I'll be back in an hour or so." I replied calmly. I could hear the two behind me muffle their laughter.

" Geez! Tell us when you're going somewhere! Anyways, Maido wants to cook curry for us, so we'll go help ourselves to your food." Natsuki said in an irritated tone.

" That's fine. Have you fed the kitten?" I ask Natsuki.

" NyanNyan? Yeah, I fed him earlier. Look, just don't stay out so late. Bye." As soon as Natsuki hangs up, the elevator doors open.

We all walked outside into a hallway. Miss Yuna pulled out her keys and paced slowly down the hall.

" 201... 202... 203... 204! Home sweet home!" Miss Yuna chirped happily.

She opened the door to a cool and dark place. She felt the wall for a light switch and once she found it, immediately flipped the lights on. As light filled the room, I saw a clean and spacious area that is free from clutter. Completely different from what I pictured. The room has a small flat screen TV mounted on the wall and a PS4 below it in a small shelf. In front of it is a small table and sofa in front of it with a small collection of light novels under it. Basically a typical living room. On the far side of the room is a small kitchen area and a circular table with four chairs. This two areas are divided by a counter filled with small kitchen appliances and a few bottles of liquor strewn about. The right side of the room has a sliding glass door that led to a balcony and beside that is a white door that hang ajar.

" Wow! I thought this place is a dump! Anyways, can I sleep in your room for a se-... I stand corrected." Seiji stared inside Miss Yuna's bedroom. His expression screams of disappointment.

" Why is there manga all over the floor? Along with a few empty bottles and cans of beer in your room?" Seiji asked in a stern tone.

" Ehehe... Last night was a Sunday so I spent my night getting hammered and playing video games. Ahaha..." Miss Yuna said with an awkward smile. Seiji lets out a sigh before shaking his head.

" You go cook our dinner while I go clean up your mess. My god, how is your liver not dead?" Seiji mutters out to Miss Yuna as he walks over to the kitchen and rummages through the different drawers and cabinets before pulling out a thrash bag.

" Yoku, go seat on the couch and watch some TV if you want." Miss Yuna smiles as she nudges me to the sofa.

I took a sit on the warm sofa and slowly took in my surroundings. The white walls, tidy and neat interior, and minimalistic design of the place sort of relaxed me. But as I settled down in my spot, I heard Miss Yuna cry out in dismay. At this plea for help, I quickly stood up and immediately went to her side to see if I can offer any kind of assistance. When I got there, I saw Miss Yuna's irritated expression as she took a look into the contents of her refrigerator.

" Dang it... It seems I don't have any meat right now..." Miss Yuna lets out a sigh and slumps down on the floor. I took a look inside, and to our luck, found some tofu.

" Umm, Miss Yuna, may I use the tofu for our curry?" I asked nicely.

" The tofu? Hmmmm... should I use it on curry or mapo tofu? Hmmmmmmm... Fine, let's go vegetarian for today." Miss Yuna reluctantly agreed. It seems she didn't want to use this ingredient for curry.

She gets up and pulls out the ingredients for the curry. It seems she is reluctant to allow a guest and a student to do housework, but she had no choice anymore since I already put on a spare apron. We began to work on cooking up a nice, vegetarian curry. Miss Yuna decided that she will handle the preparation of the ingredients and it is my job to cook the curry. I agree to this and we immediately set to work on cooking the dish. Miss Yuna handled the knife pretty well. Her movements were quick and clean, and the onions and garlic were minced incredibly finely. I then sauteed the onions, garlic and ginger while Miss Yuna prepared the tomatoes and curry powder. As I fry the tofu, Miss Yuna smiled and chuckled to herself.

" Hey, Yoku. You do this pretty often, don't you? Cooking for people." Miss Yuna said in a soft tond. I smile and nod in response.

" Yeah... I usually cook with Monika, but for now, I guess you'll do." I said jokingly as I took out the golden-brown tofu from the pan.

" I see... Where is she by the way? I always noticed that you two are always together, but I found you all alone earlier. Did you two have a fight?" Miss Yuna's tone made it seem like she already knew the answer.

" S-Sort of... We just had a misunderstanding in an argument." I said meekly as I begin to work on the curry sauce.

" Ohhhh? You beat a former Debate Club member in an argument? No wonder she's mad, you must've put down her argument too hard." Miss Yuna said in a calm voice.

" I don't think so. But I think she's just jealous I'm spending more time with... friends." I pause for a while. I took a breath and let out a long sigh.

" Eh, girls are like that. Especially if that girl is a possessive and controlling person. Look, you just need to take a seat, and talk to her about it. Let me give you some damn advice, so listen up!" Miss Yuna puts down a glass of coconut milk on the counter before giving me a stern look.

" The trick to making a possessive and overly attached girlfriend to let you talk to others is by showing them that you have no intentions on leaving her for that person. It may sound simple, but the way on achieving this is different from person to person." Miss Yuna said as she started pouring in the ingredients for the curry into the pot.

" Thanks for the advice..." I said meekly as I stirred the curry.

" It's all about trust! Anyways, you should talk to her about it. Clear some things up..." Miss Yuna brings lowers the heat and brought the curry into a simmer.

Miss Yuna is right, I must talk to Monika. I can't let her feel sad or lonely. With this, I pulled out my phone from my pocket and turned towards Miss Yuna.

" Uhmm, may I go outside to the balcony?" I asked politely.

" Sure. Be careful though, I don't want you falling to your death." Miss Yuna chuckled. I let out a brief chuckle as well before walking out into the balcony and closing the door behind me.

I put away my phone and sighed. The cool air blew on my face. Tonight is a frigid night. I could see the brightly lit cities from afar from this view. But, I am not here to admire the feeling of brooding in this balcony, I'm here to talk with someone. I took a deep breath, and let out a long exhale. In my mind, I begin to think of a poem.

 _Balloon_

 _I have a red balloon._

 _It's not great,_

 _but it's mine._

 _It isn't that beautiful,_

 _But it isn't ugly,_

 _It isn't big,_

 _but it's not tiny._

 _It doesn't have a grand design,_

 _But it's not a plain balloon either._

 _I love this balloon,_

 _but I let it go and it flew away._

I let out a sigh and stared down into the streets. I didn't know where else to look but down. As I silently contemplated, a torrent of guilt washed over my mind. Maybe I was a little harsh on my words. Maybe I'm not doing the right thing. I don't know. I just want to talk to her about all of this. I just want to be with her right now, I miss her. I just want Monika.

But as I contemplated silently, I heard a a cat cry out in pain and a the honk and swerving of a car from the streets below. I leaned down to see where it came from. But as I did so, a strong gust of wind began to blow. In my surprise, my grip and faltered and my foot slipped. I lost my balance as the wind blew harder. Alas, that was it for me. Since my upper body is leaning out and beyond the wall, I knew that this may happen. The moment I lost my balance, I immediately began to slip. I closed my eyes, and was about to shout profanities into the air as I fall. But, the strong winds that I expected as I fall never came. I opened my eyes to see that my waist is now outside the balcony and my feet hovered just above the balcony's floor. I could feel a tight grasp around the back of my collar. I thought it was either Miss Yuna or Seiji at first, but then, she spoke.

"... Here I thought you'd only fall for me. You meanie." That voice, that beautiful voice. I was yanked back into the balcony with force. As I crashed onto the floor, I looked around to see where is she.

" Hey... Sorry for leaving you earlier. I was just... jealous." That trembling voice belonged only to one person I know. I looked up, tears in my eyes and smiled. That brown hair, piercing green eyes and a big puffy bow at the back of her head. I missed all of it.

" Monika!" I shouted out in joy.


	50. Third Time's a Charm (Part One)

I hugged Monika tightly. Monika lets out a sigh and reluctantly pulls away from my embrace.

" Shhhh! They might hear us. Look, just pretend you're on your phone right now." Monika still looked a little pissed so I simply nod my head.

She pulled out her command prompt and typed in a new code. Then, just like that, she disappeared. After a brief moment, my phone rang. I took a look and saw that it was Monika's number. I quickly answered it.

" Hello..." Monika said meekly.

" Hi..." I replied in the same manner as well.

There was an awkward silence between us. Thankfully, Monika decided to break this silence.

" Were you gonna die just to see a damn cat getting run over?" She asked in calm yet irritated tone.

" Maybe..." I replied awkwardly.

" Idiot! Idiot! I-di-ot! You already died two times and you want to die a third time like this?! Either you're an idiot, or you're just fated to die stupidly!" Monika's harsh scolding was a pain in the ears, but at least I now know she still looks after me.

" Heh, what could I say? I slipped! Anyways, have you been watching me this whole time?!" I ask in a teasing manner.

" Of course! Even if I'm mad at you for flirting with Yuri, I still need to protect my beloved. Or have you decided to replace me with her?!" Monika's jealousy made me chuckle. It's kinda cute, but it's also scary.

" Nah! Never! Look, I'm not flirting with Yuri. I'm trying to get her out of her shell." I lean against the wall as I spoke proudly of my plan.

" But you did not have to ask her out on a date! You could've just spent time reading with her." Monika whined.

" I... I didn't ask her out! I just invited her to come with me to the mall as friends! I plan on getting closer to her so that she could express more of her feelings to me." I said with a smile.

" That would get you killed. Remember, if she confesses, you die." Monika remarked.

" Yeah... But I want to gamble on an idea that I've been toying with. If Yuri's problems is a result of her not being able to express her feelings, then wouldn't the logical choice to make is to help her express her feelings in a positive way?" I could hear Monika 'hmmmm' in the background.

" Maybe... I don't know... By the way, why are you at Miss Yuna's place anyway? Couldn't you have turned her down?" Monika asked curiously.

" Yeah... But I just wanted to make sure she's fine. From what I recall, Miss Yuna's death flag was activated today due to her helping in the investigation of Natalia's murder..." At the mention of Natalia's name, I remembered the reason of why I got mad at Monika. I stopped talking for a moment, I wanted to get that thought out of my head.

" Hey Yoku..." Monika snapped me out of my silence.

" Y-Yes?"

" I'm sorry..." She said softly, guilt can be heard from her voice.

" I'm sorry for doing that thing to Natalia. Even if she's just an NPC, my actions were not justifiable by that." Monika's apology is heartfelt, but...

" What do you mean 'just an NPC'? Monika, she's a human being!" I said to her in a frustrated tone.

" Monika, I'm mad at you because you see others as mere NPC's! This is the same problem you had in the game. You think that just because you have achieved sentience, you're above everyone else." I said sternly, my hamd curled up into a fist in frustration.

" Yoku... I... No, you're right. I am in the wrong." Monika said calmly.

" I get it, all life is precious to you. That is the reason you're here, right? You want to save all of us... I get it. But Yoku, you do realize that you cannot save anyone by yourself, right?" Monika's word struck me hard. The way she said it so calmly, her chilling voice, it scared and irritated me.

" W-What makes you say that?" I said calmly.

" You wouldn't be here in this world without Akami-sama. You wouldn't have been able to help Sayori without my help. You wouldn't be able to save Natsuki from her abuse without Akami-sama pulling some strings. Face it Yoku, you haven't been saving this people by yourself." Her words cut through my rationality like knife. I was starting to lose my cool, and she knew it. I have to be careful.

" Look Yoku, face it. You can't save every single person here, you can only save those three from their fates. Every single NPC here are just entities to make it seem this world is full of people! Tell me Yoku, did it feel real when you spent your time with Miss Yuna? I'm sure it looks real to you, but trust me, they aren't real! They're not even listed in the character files, they're listed in the NPC folder." She said with an agitated, yet composed tone. I can't believe what I'm hearing right now, this sounds like something the old Monika would say.

" You need my help and I need you! Just let me help you, and I'll make sure you never have to suffer again. I have the power to help you achieve the ending you want! In fact, I could even give all if the NPC's here a nice and fulfilling life. What do you say?" Her words are alluring, seducing almost. I was tempted to agree with her... but I can't. I won't.

" No. I... I don't want to do this if people would get hurt. Monika, this is the last straw. You went to damn far..." I said in a quivering voice.

" Huh?" She squeaked out as I took a deep breath and steeled myself.

" I appreciate the help, the support and most of all, the love you have given me, but this is it. I don't get why you're so insecure about Yuri and why you look down on the others in this world, but I know that this will not help me in achieving my goal. Your methods and my methods are different, too different. And now, with your attempts to make me choose a path I utterly refuse to take, I have made my decision. I'm sorry Monika..." I don't want to say this.

" Yoku... W-What are you talking about?"

But I have to...

" Monika, please, just leave me alone for a while... Look, I can't allow others to get involved and get hurt in this. But with you, that is impossible. You are willing to take a path that would allow you to get what you want, no matter the price. I'm not that kind of person, and frankly, I will never be." I said with a shaky tone. Tears formed in my eyes as I said these words.

" Yoku... Please, don't..."

" Monika, I'm really sorry. But I don't think our goals are the same anymore. From what I'm seeing, it seems you just want to save everyone not to atone for your wrongs, but to have a leverage on me. To be honest, I already expected that. But you know, I never expected you to still have that kind of outlook on this world..." I pause for a moment to regain my composure.

" Goodbye, Monika." I could hear her call out to me, but I immediately hang up. I couldn't bear to hear her.

I wiped away my tears and tried my best to calm myself. It hurts, my heart hurts. I didn't want to do it, and perhaps I shouldn't have, but I was confused and scared. I don't want to let Monika help me if she had ulterior motives. I wanted to wail, cry and shout in sadness, but I restrained myself. I shakily entered Miss Yuna's apartment and smiled my best. I don't want to let them see me with a sad look on my face. It seems the curry is finished. I saw it on a bowl on the table, along with a few plates on the table. I found Miss Yuna washing her hands. I walked over to her and smiled awkwardly.

" Miss Yuna... M-May I go home? I feel a little sick." I let out a weak smile. She pondered for a bit, before sighing.

" Grab a container and take some curry with you. I'll tell Seiji to drive you home." Miss Yuna said in a soft tone. I was about to turn around to grab a small container when she placed a hand on my shoulder.

" If you have a problem, don't go talking about it to me since I'll probably feel depressed. But go talk to a friend about it. Looking at your face alone, it's clear shit happened to you." Miss Yuna said in a comforting voice. I nod lightly before taking the container and filling it up with the curry.

Miss Yuna went inside her room and told her brother to drop me home. I heard a huge sack of clutter being dragged before eventually being dropped and abandoned. Seiji walks out of the room and stretches his arms. I finish filling up the container with the curry just as he walked over to me.

" Something came up? What's with the rush?" Seiji said calmly.

" Y-Yeah... I have to take care of something at home..." Seiji looked at me with doubt.

" Well, I hope you take care of your problem." Seiji said with a smile before patting me on the back.

I waved goodbye to Miss Yuna before heading out. Seiji and I exchanged little words between us. I didn't want to talk anyway.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

I was woken up from my nap by Seiji. It seems somewhere along our trip, I fell asleep. Seiji smiled at me in amusement. I got out of the car and thanked him for driving me home. He was about to drive away, but I wanted to tell him something important first.

" Sir... Take care of Miss Yuna. A-And if something weird or dangerous happen, please call me." I said to him in a way that it seems I was warning him.

" S-Sure... Why? Is there something wrong?" He asked in a concerned tone.

" No... Not really. Anyways, goodbye and thanks for the ride home..." I mutter out softly before turning around and walking towards the door to my house.

I heard the car drive away into the distance as I opened the door to my house. I looked around to see Maido reading a book in the living room, her eyes focused intently at its pages. She paid no attention to me as I quietly stagger towards my room. I made my way upstairs quietly, I just wanted to burst into tears. I opened the door to my room, I was about to jump into bed to sleep when my sights was set on a pleasant surprise. Lying on my bed is the sweet cinnamon bun known as Sayori. She was sleeping soundly while she held a picture in her hands. I quietly walked over to her and took a look at the picture she held. It was a picture of the entire Literature Club after the festival.

" Y-Yoku...?" Sayori slowly wakes up from her sleep.

" Heh, had a nice sleep?" I mused as I took a sit beside her.

" Y-Yeah... Oh! Sorry! This is your bed, I forgot! Ehehe!" Sayori immediately jumps up from my bed.

" Nah, it's fine. Where's Natsuki?" I asked.

" She's at my house taking a shower." She replied.

" I see... Stop standing there and sit beside me. There's still room on the bed." I pat the space beside me and beckoned her to sit. She follows obediently.

We sat quietly on my bed. I would occasionally see Sayori glance at me from the corner of my eye. She was having problems thinking up of a topic to break this awkward silence. But to be honest, so am I. I didn't even know why I made her stay, probably because I just wanted some company. Either way, it's comforting to have Sayori here when I'm lonely. Out of nowhere, Sayori perks up and looks at me seriously.

" Tomatoes... are not vegetables." There was a brief pause between us.

" Huh?" I was confused by what she just said.

" S-Sorry... I had nothing else to say... Ehehe..." Sayori laughed nervously. I could she she was getting flustered.

" It's okay, I don't mind... It's nice to get things out of your head, you know?" I said in an amused voice.

" Yeah..." Her voice trailed off. She pouted and furrowed her eyebrows together.

" Yoku... Do you want to talk about something? You seem sad..." Sayori had a look of concern on her face. I pause for a moment, I was thinking of lying to her. But I know that is a useless endeavor, she already knows something is up with me.

" N-No... I'm not fine... Not at all." I said to her weakly.

" Do you need to talk? A hug?" Sayori tried to cheer me up, and she sorta did.

" I'll pass on the hug... But yeah, I think I just need to talk with someone for now." I smiled weakly. " Sayori, I'm having problems with my rain clouds right now..." I could hear Sayori gasp. " Huh?! What the?!" I was caught off guard when Sayori suddenly threw her arms around me and hugged me. " Do you... feel better?" She asked softly with a worried tone. " Y-Yeah... Just a little..." I smile and pet her head gently. " That's good... I can't let my best friend be sad! He went through all the trouble to make me happy, so I can't let him face his trouble alone." Sayori said in a trembling voice. I began to tear up. " Sayori... It hurts. It hurts so much. But I had no choice..." Sayori pulled away and took a good look at me. " What do you mean, Yoku?" She had a worried expression in her face. " I... I broke up with Monika..." I said. Sayori pulled away and stared at me in shock and disbelief.

" We couldn't see eye to eye something important to me... I... I just lost it... I decided to end it..." Tears slowly began to fall down my cheeks.

" I'm such an idiot... A huge idiot... I just wanted to help Yuri... How did it come to this?!" My tears began to flood down my cheeks. My chest tightened and I couldn't help but feel frustrated at myself.

" I... I won't say 'it's okay'... Because it's not okay. But I'm going to say that you need to be strong!" Sayori took a deep breath and took hold of one my hands.

" I... I believe in you, Yoku! You've done your best, and now it's my turn to help you." Sayori said with a determined and hopeful look on her face.

" Sayori... I... I can't let you help me... You guys have done enough for me..." I said weakly.

" No! You're wrong! You're the one who has done so much for us. You got beat up trying to stop Natsuki's dad, remember? Not just that, you're the one who stopped me from killing myself. I haven't even repaid you for that..." Sayori's vice tightened around my hand.

" That is why, I'll help you save Yuri from herself and at the same time, I'll help you make your rain clouds go away." Sayori smiled at me. Her smile is so full of hope, that I'd feel guilty if I denied her help.

" Thanks, Sayori. But how about your rain clouds? You're still dealing with your depression, right?" I ask as I try to pull myself together.

" Yeah, but maybe my rain clouds will go away if I try to help you get rid of yours..." Sayori said cheerfully before letting go of my hand.

" Well, thanks, I guess... Uhm... If you don't mind, may I have some time alone?" I said softly.

" Oh! Okay, sure... Hey, Yoku... If you're getting lonely and sad, don't hesitate to talk to me. Okay?" Sayori gave me one last look of pity before getting out of my room.

I laid down my head on a bunch of pillows. Right now, I just felt horrible. I

just wanted to sleep my problems away. I turned to my side and stare at the space beside me. I was used to being greeted by the green gaze of Monika whenever I look beside me. I guess I'm sleeping lone tonight, just like the times before I got here. I closed my eyes so that I could get some shuteye.

" Yo! You made a balsy move back there. Breaking up with someone who is on equal footing with a god when it comes to power. That's pretty nuts!" I turned around to see a vague silhouette of Akami-sama in the corner of the room.

" You... What are you doing here?" I asked as I wrap some blankets around me.

" Relax! I'm not really here... I'm just projecting myself in your room. Ahaha! Man, this is entertaining to watch... Anyways, this is getting interesting." I could not see his expression, but he must be amused with me right now.

" Why?! Everytime someone says that it means I'm getting into trouble... What's gonna happen?!" I asked angrily.

" Ahaha! Can't say! Besides, won't it be fun to have a nice surprise tomorrow? Ahaha!" Akami-sama laughed before disappearing. I don't really like Akami-sama's way of warning me.

 ***DDLC:Our Reality***

I woke up from a restless sleep. I felt groggy and tired even though I'm a morning person. I turned around to say good morning to Monika, but I remembered. She's not here anymore. I saw an empty space beside me, a horrible reminder that I just lost my beloved. I felt even more horrible, but I decided I can't stay cooped up in my room feeling sorry all day. I stretched my arms and got up. I had to drag myself out of bed in order for me to get on with this day. I grabbed a towel and head. towards the shower, maybe I'll feel better if I took a hot shower.

I stepped into the shower. The hot water flowed down my back briskly. Steam covered the room while I stood under the flowing water. I wanted to clear my mind of any troublesome thoughts. I just wanted to forget about my conversation with her. I stared at the wall while the water hits my back. I don't know what to do after I save Yuri. She's the last one I need to save, right?! There's no one else I need to save, right?! That is what's important, to save them. All of them. I'll sacrifice everything just to give those girls the ending they deserve. I was interrupted by loud knocking on the door.

" Yoku... We have a visitor... Should I let her in?" Maido asked calmly.

" What the hell?! It's six in the morning! Who is it?" I asked in an irritated tone as I started to scrub my body.

" It's... Yuri..." Maido replied timidly. I was caught off guard by this.

" What the hell... Look, just tell her to come inside and wait for me to finish my shower. Oh! And heat up the curry." I said before applying shampoo on my hair.

I quickly finish taking my shower. I hurriedly put on my uniform and made my way downstairs while buttoning up my blazer. I looked around the room to find Yuri quietly sitting on the sofa. She smiled at me sweetly the moment she saw me. I let out a sigh and walked over to her.

" H-Hello... Sorry for... i-intruding... I hope I d-didn't disturb you..." She said meekly while twiddling a strand of her hair between her fingers.

" I don't mind... Anyways, what brings you here?" I took a seat and awaited her answer.

" Uhh... I... I... I have no excuse for this. I suppose I j-just wanted to have breakfast here... Sorry..." Yuri bowed her head sheepishly.

" It's fine. I don't mind at all. Take a seat on the table while I call the two." I smiled and cocked my head to the direction of the dining room. Before she could say a word, I was already walking towards the door. But before I could open it, it flew wide open, hitting me on the face. I fell on ny bottom in pain. I looked up to see a wide eyed Natsuki and Sayori.

" Yoku! Are you ok?! Natsuki! Why do you always fling the door open when you enter?!" Sayori rushed to my side and took a look at my swollen nose. I tried to shrug it off and I stood up shakily.

" He's fine! Look! He has the strength to get up." Well, she is a little bit right. But it still hurts.

" Natsuki! Does your rowdiness knows no bounds?!" Natsuki perked up and stared at the source of that refined shout.

" Yuri?! What are you doing here?!" Natsuki immediately looked at me in surprise, her eyes demanded that I tell her what is happening.

" I... I took the liberty of inviting myself over to eat breakfast with t

the entire... club... Is Monika not around?" Yuri looked around the room.

" N-No... Monika and I... had an argument. Yeah..." I mutter out as I stretched my arms. I could feel Sayori's gaze at me with a doubtful expression.

" Oh... I... I see... Well, I hope you two could resolve your problems rather than escalating it!" Yuri had a genuine expression of hope on her face. It only made it more painful. Thankfully, Maido decided to interject in our conversation.

" Breakfast is ready..." Maido points at the meal laid out before us. It's the curry I brought home. I let out a smile and told the others to go ahead and eat while I pour myself a cup of coffee.

" How about you? Don't you have any plans to eat with us?" Natsuki asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

" I'm not hungry, that's all. I'll just drink some coffee in the mean time." I sat on my chair and quietly sipped my coffee. They all chatted with each other as I stared inside my mug and into the coffee.

It was bland. Too dark and strong for my taste. I like Monika's creamier blend better.

" Hey! Yoku! The coffee won't make out

with you even if you kept staring at it so longingly!" I looked up, feeling bashful at my actions. Natsuki smirked teasingly at me.

" Haha, very funny. Even if you kept eating, you know your boo-"

" Shut it! Geez, what's with you today?! Did you lost your drive to live or something?" Natsuki gave me an irritated look.

" Sorry... I'm just...not feeling it today." I murmur out as I place down my mug on the table.

" Anyways, you guys eat your meal. It's getting late. I don't want to be tardy at school." I said to them as I stood up from the table.

" Where are you going?" Natsuki asked.

" I'm just gonna drink my coffee outside." I smiled as I took my mug with me outside the house.

I stood outside the door of my house, bitterly sipping my coffee. I wasn't bitter because of the coffee's taste, rather I was bitter about my actions. Perhaps I could've gotten through to her if I didn't get so agitated. Nonetheless, I don't have Monika helping me anymore. I'd have to save Yuri by myself now.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

After a while, everyone finally finished eating their breakfast. Since everyone is already in their school uniforms, it only took a little while for us to get ready. It was the usual routine, except Yuri is with us and Monika is nowhere to be seen. Sayori and Natsuki is as energetic and cheerful as ever, outpacing both Yuri and I as we walked. Yuri was reading a light novel that Natsuki convinced her to buy the other day. She looks like she was enjoying that book. I stayed at the back of the group, quietly observing them. Everything seemed fine at first, but I suddenly got that nagging feeling that something was off. Everything just felt... off.

The place seemed a lot, emptier. The usual lively and bustling neighborhood was devoid of people. I didn't pay notice to this much further since we were already near the school. I felt a rush of relief when I saw students flooding into the school gates. We parted ways at the school lobby, like usual. I went towards one of the numerous vending machines in the hallway and bought a small can of coffee before heading towards my classroom. But once I entered the room, I felt that weird feeling once more. I sat down and drank my coffee, looking around the room as I did so. Everything and everyone seemed normal, but I still can't put a finger on why everything felt off. I let out a groan and I decided that I should just probably focus on my the task at hand. I pulled out the notebook Akami-sama gave me and took a look at the logs.

I kept analyzing the different logs, events and deaths. I took note of the different causes and events that lead up to the deaths and I pieced together a guide on what to do in case I somehow die in this life. After a while, I put away my notebook and decided that I'll go focus on my lessons. It was boring, but it was still pretty entertaining to participate. Hours flew by and lunch time was right around the corner. I decided to stay in the classroom for lunch. I'm too busy figuring out how I'll get out of this pickle. I kept reading about Yuri's events, there was something about them that I just couldn't point out. Was it the murders? Was it my murder? Or was it...

" Yoku~!" I was yanked out of my bubble by Sayori's cheerful calling. I looked at the little ball of energy peeking inside my room from behind the classroom's door. She didn't care if other students are looking at her, she only cared about my attention, which she grabbed successfully.

" Sayori! Hi! Listen, I'm not gonna join you g-"

" Ahaha! About that, I actually came here to eat beside you..." She pulled out two lunch boxes, one pink and one blue. Both seemed pretty heavy and full. It seems refusing is futile.

" Oh... Uh... Just take a seat here." I point at the empty table beside me. Sayori walked into the classroom, humming as she did so. She took a seat and placed the pink lunch box on my table.

" This... Is this mine?" I ask.

" Do you.. not like it?" She had a guilty look on her face.

" Not at all! I was just surprised that you chose a pink lunchbox for me. But, it's the food inside that counts, right?" I smile at her, and the sad look on her face disappears and is replaced by a mischievous smile. I knew it.

" Ehehe, you liar. I could see the look on your face when I gave it to you!"Sayori giggled and unboxed her lunch.

It was a cup of steaming hot rice, curry, a few cherry tomatoes, stir fried vegetables and carrot sticks. I opened mine to see an assortment of meat ranging from small meatballs to crab sticks. Some sausages and hotdogs can be seen in the mix along with karaage. I wonder who cooked this?

" Wow! Natsuki outdid herself today!" Sayori beamed and drooled as she scooped a spoonful of rice and curry into her mouth. She smiled in delight as she savored her meal.

" Natsuki? She made this?" I ask as I took a bite of a meatball. My eyes widened in surprise. It was delicious, SO delicious! The savory flavor and crispy yet tender texture brought a delightful sensation to my palate.

" Mhm! She woke up...*nom*... earwy todway... *nom*" Sayori couldn't help but squirm in delight. I can't blame her, the food before us is so delicious that it could probably defeat a god's cooking.

" I see...*chomp* Ywes! Bewy...*nom* dewishous indeed." I said as I took a large bite out of a crab stick.

As we ate, Sayori kept asking me if I'm gonna be alright later at the club. I told her that I'll be fine as long as I don't do anything brash. She told me that I should call her if anything happens so that she'll do her best to stop it. I agreed, but only if the situation calls for it. I told her that if we start arguing or cause a ruckus, she should not take any sides and focus on only stopping us. She nods, but I can see that she is still worried. Well, I am also quite worried.

Lunch ended, and Sayori left my classroom. I could see that she wanted to stay some more and chat, but she was already on her way out of the classroom. Classes once again resumed, and I was staring out into the track and field outside through the window. I was bored out of my mind, so bored. I began to drift off, I was fighting it at first, but my eyes felt heavier every second. I closed my eyes for only a second, but when I opened it, I was met by a scary yet familiar scene. It was the void beyond the eternal classroom's window. The star filled space that floated behind the window of that damned place. I immediately opened my eyes. I looked around to see that I was still in school, and with the students still in their seats. I let out a sigh of relief and I decided that maybe I should focus more on my classes.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

As classes ended, I began to put away my stuff. I let out a yawn as I stuff my books into my locker. Once I locked it, I left the classroom and headed towards the Literature Club. I took a detour and I went down the long route that goes through the vending machines so I could buy some snacks. I was a little bit pissed since this area of the school is sparsely occupied during the after-school hours. There was an eerie silence in the area, and I didn't like it one bit. I finally see the vending machine area, right beside the girl's bathroom. I approach it, only to see a familiar girl spying inside the girl's bathroom. There was no mistaking that big, puffy white bow and long brown hair of hers. It didn't took long for Monika to notice my presence. I was about to turn around and leave when a small dialogue box appeared before me.

[ Shhhhh!!! Be quiet and hide! ]

I turned around to look at her, she had a serious expression as she quietly observed the girl's bathroom. I quietly snuck beside her and pressed her for answers. She didn't say anything, but she pointed at the mirror. I had to bend over a little to see, but what I saw is horrific.

I could see Yuri washing her freshly cut wounds in the sink. I could see a rather large and deep one just below her wrist. She was erratic, she's in a rush to clean it as quickly as possible. Since the entire hallway is silent, we can hear the sound of flowing and splashing water and the wincing and hissing of our fellow literature club member.

" Why must I do this to myself?" Yuri asked aloud, her question echoing through the halls.

[ She's been cutting herself for the last 15 minutes. I got concerned when she nearly cut too deep. ]

A bew dialogue box appeared. I nod at Monika and we continue our spying. Yuri closed the faucet and took a look at her wounds. She particularly focused on the largest one, still dripping blood on the floor. She touched it, and she immediately recoiled in pain.

" Ah! Goodness... I... I think I accidentally went too far..." Yuri looked genuinely concerned about the large, gaping gash on her arm.

[ I... I need to talk to you...]

Out of nowhere, Monika took hold of my hand and stared at me. I could feel her steely gaze bore deep down into my soul. I nod, and we quietly made our way out of there.

We enter a secluded wing of the school. Monika leaned on one of the windows and stared outside. I let out a sigh and stood in front of her, rubbing the back of my head as I did so.

" Monika, I'm-"

" You need to finish this now. You need to save Yuri as quickly as possible." She said in a calm and serious tone.

" The more time that passes, the harder it is for Yuri to contain her desire to harm herself and the harder it will become for you to help her. And... I believe that..." Monika was choking on her words right now. It looks like this is painful for her.

" I'm just getting in your way... I'm sorry." Monika finally looked at me. She was in the brink of tears. Her hands and feet trembled, but she tried her best to compose herself.

" I only wish for you to be successful this time. Knowing you, you'd rather lose everything you have than risk hurting someone else in your plans." Monika cried softly, trying her best to stop. I wanted to move, to comfort her, but I can't.

" I decided that, I'll do my best to help you without going against your morals. I decided that I'll go spend my time today watching Yuri and preventing her from killing anyone... This is what you want right? To not let anyone else get hurt?" She smiled weakly and clenched her fists.

" Y-Yeah... Thank you, for understanding me." I said weakly.

Monika let out a chuckle, before dropping to the floor. Her expression was a mix of sadness and relief. I guess she was glad we finally see eye to eye, but I'm guessing that she is still depressed that I left her.

" I'm sorry you fell in love with me. A monster who just destroys everything precious to it..." Monika sobbed quietly. I could feel my heart wrench.

" _Does my pen, only write bitter words for those who are dear to me~?"_ That line, that tune. It was Monika's song... but...

" Didn't I tell you, Yoku? I'd do my best to help you! So why are you talking with the meanie that hurt you?" Monika stopped crying. Her expression is now that of horror and shock. I turned around, my body trembling as I did so.

" No... How?!" I was dumbfounded as I stared at the girl before us. Her blue eyes and cheerful smile are unmistakable.

" Monika... what did you do?!" I asked her furiously. Monika shook her head in disbelief.

" Well, when the president is not around, isn't it the vice-president's responsibility to take up the role of president?" Sayori smiled.

" I... I only told her I'd be skipping club for today! I didn't know this would happen!" Monika slowly stood up to face the club's vice president head on.

" W-What are you gonna do?!" I took a step back in fear.

" Ehehe... I'm gonna do the one thing you hate the most!" Sayori smiled and pulled her command console.

" I'll..." She began to type something. Monika immediately took out her command console, but she was too late.

I felt nauseous. I could see lines of code appearing around me.

" ...Make you do this!" Sayori smiled widely as she entered a new line of code into her console.


	51. Akami-sama's Q and A, again!

" Hello! Akami-sama here again for the usual question and answer portion! We have a special guest joining us today, and I'd like to introduce her. Come on up, Sayori!"

* **Poof*** " Wha?! Huh?! W-Where am I?!"

" Welcome to Limbo, Sayori! Anyways, thank you f-"

" Akami-sama! W-Where are we??? I'm scared! Yoku! Yoku where are you?!"

" Calm down. We're not in immediate tr-"

" Waaaaah!!! Yoku!!! Save me!!!"

" Geezus, this place isn't that scary.

Akami-sama looks around the white space that surrounds them.

" Okay, maybe it does look a little scary..."

" Akami-sensei...*sniff* I-I don't understand... Why am I in heaven?"

" Heaven?! Ahaha! You're not dead! I just pulled you out for a moment for this short interlude."

" I-interlude?"

" Yup! You see Sayori, you guys are just a character in a story created by some bored being that is me. From time to time, I'd answer the questions of the confused masses that tune in to this tale!"

" Huh? I... I don't get it..."

" You're in a damn fanfic, Sayori."

" What's a fanfic?"

" For the love of- Just answer the questions I'm gonna read to you, ok?"

" O-Ok..."

Q: How did you get your powers?

S: Powers? Oh! You mean Monika's powers! It seems when she gave me the duty to look after the club for the day, she gave me the Club President title.

A: Ahaha! Have you done anything with your powers?

S: Coding is hard! I'm still trying to figure out how to give myself food whenever I'm hungry.

A: Ok, moving on.

Q: Are your powers temporary?

S: I'm... not sure. I hope so, coding makes my head ache.

Q: Did you break the fourth wall?

S: Not really. But I did found out that our world is fake though, bummer.

A: Are you sad abou that?

S: Of course! I felt SUPER depressed when I found out that nearly all of my memories with Yoku are fake.

A: Do you want to change that?

S: Can I?!

A: Nope. You can't.

S: Awwww...

A: But the author can, and that author is a monster. He can destroy Yoku's entire progress if he wished so!

S: *gasp* W-Will the author really do that?!

A: Can't say. Hey look! You have a fan smiling at our conversation!

S: Huh?! Oh, hello!

( Sayori is waving at you politely and sweetly.)

S: Sorry I can't see you, but I sure hope you can see me!

A: Ahaha! Let me steal the spotlight for a bit. We digress.

Q: Do you love Yoku?

S: Maybe... Is Monika not listening?

A: Nope! The only people here is me and you, along with a few... uhhh... hundred? Are there at least a hundred people reading this? Yeah, a hundred other people as well.

S: That just makes it even more embarrassing, meanie!

A: Next question.

Q: Can we hug you to make you feel better about your sadness?

A: Ooh! It's a Sayori fan!

S: A fan of me? Sure! But the screen poses a challenge though... I'll just hug you instead!

( Sayori hugs the space in front of her, trying her best to return the hug you're picturing in your mind right now)

S: Hugs make me feel better when I'm sad. Did you like that hug?

A: Some are just nodding. A few are smiling in amusment and a handful is either thinking about saying yes, or already said yes.

S: Really? I'm glad you guys enjoyed it! Well, just tell Akami-sensei to bring me here if you want me to hug you guys again!

A: Let's move on, shall we?

Q: What did you do last chapter?

S: Oh... I made Yoku-

A: Oh! Would you look at that! The author got lazy, again!

S: What? Boo!

A: He's packing up stuff... Huh? A note?! Let's see... Vacation?!

S: The author is going on a vacation?! Where?!

A: It says here "Don't worry, I'm not going on a hiatus. I'm going somewhere. Be back in a few?!"

S: What does that mean, Akami-sensei?

A: That means it's time for me to wipe your memory about this place and send you back. Bye!

S: Huh? Wai-

* **Poof*** Anyways, Akami-sama here wishing you guys a good night or a goodmorning. Bye-bye!


	52. Announcement!

Hello guys! Akami-sama here again! Along with Sayori! Say hi to the audience, Sayori.

S: Hello!

A: Anyways, an important announcement. Really important!

S: What is it, Akami-sama?

A: The author... is sick!

S: Seriously?!

A: Yes! He is very sick! His joints and body hurts, his ears feel like popping and the damn sleep deprivation he experienced due to a straight 18 hours of travel.

S: Why did he got sick tho?

A: Because the damn fool went freediving in the largest reef in the Philippines. He was swimming and diving in the tropical waters of Mindoro for hours on end.

S: Poor author... What will happen to the story now?

A: Don't worry about it, his feeling better. The next chapter is gonna be up in about... a day.

S: Wow! Really?!

A: Yup! So expect the next chapter tomorrow evening! The author told us that the next chapter is to _die_ for!

S: Huh? Why?

A: You'll see! In fact, I'm sure the next chapter is gonna be a long one. Full if drama and suspense!

S: Noooo! I don't want drama! I want happiness and fun times!

A: Too bad! Half the chapter has already been written.

S: Awwww...

A: Anyways, sorry for the inconvenience dear readers! I'll be sure to smack the author in the head for making you wait this long!

S: Bye-bye!


	53. Third Time's a Charm! part two

I waited for something to happen. Pain, terror, suffering and even death, I waited for it all. After a while, I opened my eyes and looked around. I wasn't in Limbo, I was still in the hallway with Monika and Sayori. I stood up and I noticed the small dialogue box in front of me.

[ _I'm going_ _help you with all I've got!_ ]

Sayori smiled brightly at me. She knelt down in front of me and held my hand affectionately. The warmth of her hand brings a soothing feeling to my mind.

" I know you won't let me help you fo something dangerous, so I decided I'll just force you to accept my help." Sayori said as she rubs the back of my hands. She has a calm smile on her face as she tried to calm me down.

" Sayori... This is really dangerous, you know?" I said to her weakly.

" Psshh! I'm gonna be fine! Trust me! Look at what I can do!" Sayori lets go of my hand and pulls out the command console.

[ I can talk to you guys now and no one else would be able to know about it! ]

" Okay, what else can you do?" Monika asks curiously as she recovers from her initial shock.

" Uhhh... Umm..."

" Do you even know about programming and coding?" Monika presses Sayori for her answer.

" No. Sorry... Ehehe, but I can still help!" Sayori chuckled nervously.

" I see... Hold on a second." Monika pulls out her command console and takes a look at the character files. Her eyes lit up as soon as she opens Sayori's character file.

" Club President status, enabled temporarily? Oh! I get it!" Monika smiles and closes the command console.

" I guess when I told you to take care of the Literature Club for today, I accidentally gave you the President Status. Want me to take care of your problem?" Monika smiled at Sayori. There was a brief moment of silence before Sayori gave her answer.

" No. Not now." Sayori said sternly. She had a defiant expression on her face as she looked at Monika.

" Okay, guess I'll just have to let you help us."

" Yes! And there's no point in turning me away now! I'm already set on helping Yoku!" Sayori exclaimed loudly. Monika sighed and turned towards me.

She walked slowly towards me. She had a slight frown on her face. As she closed the distance between us, she took hold of my hands. She had a weak smile spread across her face as she gazed into my eyes with her green eyes. I could feel her short and quick breaths due to our intimacy.

" Yoku, I know I offended you by... well, nearly going back to the old me... " Monika had a regretful look in her eyes.

" And?" I raise an eyebrow at Monika.

" ... And by mutilating a fellow schoolmate. But I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me... I know what I did and said is wrong. I understand why you would want to distance yourself from me after hearing that. But I promise, I'll change! So please don't leave me!"

Monika's eyes showed fear and regret. Her confident tone was replaced by a fearful and trembling one. I let out a smile and patted Monika's hair. I finally got that sincere apology I wanted to hear from her. I guess I also went overboard when I left her.

" I can't stay mad at you, dear. But I do hope you now know what happens if you try to do things like that again." Monika smiled and nodded. She leapt into my arms and gave me a tight hug. It was so tight that I could feel her squeezing the air out of my body.

 **Back in Akami-sama's Limbo**

" Seriously?! Just like that, you two are already back together?! Where is the drama?! The emotional tension?! What kind of lazy writing is this?!" Akami-sama throws a can if coke at the TV. The can turns into a bunch of codes before disappearing.

" This can't be!!! Where is the damn emotional reunion I wanted! This is half-assed crap right here!" Akami-sama lets out a sigh before sitting back down.

 **Back in School**

" Monika... You're suffocating me." I wheeze out.

" Oh, sorry! Are you ok?" Monika pulled away from her bear hug and took a look at me.

" Yeah... I think so." I answered meakly.

" I'm glad..." Monika smiled and cupped my right cheek with her hand.

" Let's not fight again, that whole thing is stressful..." I said to Monika as I press my forehead against hers.

" Yeah... I was really lonely when you left me..." Monika said in a glad tone.

" Geez! You two are meanies! Stop doing mushy and lovey-dovey stuff in school! We have someone to save! Go whine later at the house..." Sayori pouted at us while tapping her foot.

" Ahaha! We just can't help it! Being separated from each other is really depressing." Monika beamed brightly.

" But Sayori's right, Yoku. Let's save our reunion for later after you go save Yuri." Monika tosses her hair back over her shoulders. She took a look at Sayori and let out a long sigh.

" Sayori, may I ask you something?"

" Yes?"

" You know about... everything, right? How this world is fake?" Monika waited for her answer with a serious expression.

" Yes, I know about everything. How you... Uhhh... Left me hanging, made Yuri edgier and everything. Yes, all that horrible stuff..." Sayori said in a nervous and trembling voice.

" I see... Are you, angry about it?" Monika asked in a regretful tone.

" I... I am... But those things are in the past." Monika was taken aback by Sayori's answer.

" I can't stay mad forever, right? The things you did were horrible, yes. But you were scared and confused. You didn't know what to do, and in the end, you regret the decisions you made. That, for me, means that you care for the Literature Club more than you think." Sayori spoke in a manner that both amazed and scared me. She was like a mother soothing her crying child.

" Besides, Yoku taught me something important. Everyone must keep moving forward, no matter how difficult our path is! Even if this world is fake, even if my memories were just made up, the time I spend with you guys is real enough for me." Sayori had small droplets of tears running down her cheek as she spoke. In fact, I too could feel that I was moved by her words. Monika is in tears already, but she tried her best not to lose her composure.

" Monika, I can't lead the Literature Club. Being President is a heavy responsibility, and now I know that you are the best person for the job. Even when you were suffering, even when you felt so alone and isolated, you did your best to lead and have fun with us. So I... I'll gladly give you back the title of Club President after I use it to help Yoku."

Sayori was serious, really serious. I have never seen Sayori this serious before. Her words are full of hope and determination.

" Sayori... I... I'll let you help us. But promise me you'll be safe, okay?" I place a hand on Sayori's shoulder. She nods and gives me a thumbs up.

" I'll be fine! Don't worry! Anyways, let's go back to the club. I bet everyone is wondering where we are." Sayori took hold of both Monika and I and pulled the two of us.

The three of us made our way to the club room behind Sayori. Where in the hell does she get all her energy? I pushed this thought towards the back of my head as I sighted the doors of the Literature Club. Sayori flung the doors wide open and pushed the two of us inside. Everyone was surprised by this, but they calmed down when they noticed that it was just the three of us. I took a look around and saw that Yuri is sitting in the back with Natsuki. They seem to be arguing about something, but before I can head over there, Monika and Sayori stopped me.

" Listen, Yoku. Sayori and I will go make a plan on how to deal with our problem. I want you to call us if something goes awry, okay?" Monika is clearly concerned about me. I shouldn't say that I got this or something.

" S-Sure... I'll give you guys a call if Yuri tries to do something to me or anyone." I said to her weakly before walking away from them.

My pace was slow as I walked towards the two. I could see that Natsuki is holding a book and a manga while she argued with Yuri. I listened in on what the two are talking about.

" I'm not forcing you to read it! I'm just saying... that... I think you'll enjoy it and whatever..." Natsuki murmured out as she handed Yuri a manga and a light novel.

" They're both horror, good ones if you ask me. If you don't enjoy the manga, you could read the light novel." Natsuki is blushing as Yuri takes a glance at the contents of the manga and the novel.

" T-Thank you, Natsuki. I'll be sure to read them later. Hmm? Ah! Y-Yoku! Where... Where you listening to our conversation?" Yuri smiles and waves at me. I could see Natsuki's surprise as I smile at them both.

" I just overheard some things. May I see that manga?" I ask Natsuki politely. She hands me the manga before folding her arms at me.

" Ahh! I know this one! Junji Ito's The Enigma of Amigara Fault. Pretty nerve-wracking. A real thought provoker." I said as I took a look at the illustrations.

" Hmph! You're stealing ny spotlight again."

" Ahaha! Sorry! I shouldn't get in the way of you trying to get closer to Yuri." I was about to laugh teasingly, but Natsuki punched me in the gut. It didn't hurt, but it was enough to make me wheeze.

" I-it's not like that! Stop saying things like this, idiot!" Natsuki huffed out as she began to hit me with the novel.

" Ow! Ow! Ow! Okay! Please stop hitting me now! Ouch!" Natsuki stopped hitting me with the book, only to give me one punch on my shoulder.

" Natsuki! Cease this violent behavior! I'm sure that Yoku was only trying to lighten up the tense mood." Yuri bursted out, her face had a mix of both concern and annoyance. After a while however, that expression of hers reverted back to the timid and shy one that she usually wears.

" Ah... I... I'm sorry for my outburst..." Yuri bowed her head and frowned.

" Oh! N-No! It's fine! Geez, damn it, Yoku! You just made things awkward! Anyways, here's the manga and book. I'll go and... uh... hang out with Sayori for a while." Natsuki placed the light novel on top of a table and walked away.

I let out a chuckle as I picked up the light novel. I was surprised to see that it is the 2nd volume of the No Game No Life series. Will Yuri really like this? Maybe, who knows? I place it back down and turn towards Yuri. She was scanning the pages of the manga intensely. It's like she's been absorbed into the book itself. I watched her eyes lit up in horror, surprise, shock and delight. Her face showed so much emotion, I could tell what is going through her head.

" Uhh... Hey Yuri? Want to sit down and read with me?"

" Oh! Ah... Sorry... I was too indulged in this manga that I forgot to sit down... Ahaha! My apologies..."

" Eh, that's fine. Natsuki would be pleased to see you enjoying the manga she gave you." I said to her with an amused tone.

" Ah... Yes, I-I'm sure she would... A-Ah, about later..." Yuri began to get flustered as she tried her best to speak up.

" I... I... Ah... A-Appreciate you inviting me to g-go shopping with you..." Her face is extremely red now.

" Ahaha, why are you getting flustered? Ahaha! Relax, Yuri. You're gonna look like a tomato if you kept blushing like that." I teased. Yuri's eyes widened and her face took on a brighter shade of red.

" Y-Yoku! I'd appreciate it if y-you s-s-stop teasing me for your amusement..." She bowed her head, trying to hide her embarrassed expression from me.

" Sure, sure. Anyways, why don't we sit down and read that piece of art in your hands? I'm sure you'll enjoy that bodily, mental and spiritual horror that is expected from Junji Ito's works." I said to her as I sat beside the wall where we usually read.

She nods and follows suit. She sat down beside me and immediately opens the manga. While we read the book, I could hear and see Amy and Yosuke in the background scribbling words on a notebook, Sayori and Natsuki sharing a pack of cookies and Monika writing something on a piece of paper. I look at Yuri, seeing that she is engrossed in reading the manga. From time to time, I'd catch a glimpse of Natsuki glancing at us. I'd smile at her, and she'd pout and avert her gaze from us. I let out. quiet sigh, of Natsuki wants to improve her relationship with Yuri, she should talk to her.

Yuri and I were yanked out of our bubble by Natsuki. It seems we were so engrossed and focused on reading the manga that we failed to notice that it's time to go home. I let out a laugh before standing up.

" Man, that was fun! Did you enjoy it?" I asked Yuri. Yuri nodded enthusiastically.

" Yes. The manga is quite enjoyable. The art style sends shivers down my spine. The grotesque and weird style of drawing the contorted corpses gives me a sense of dread... Ah... S-Sorry... I got too excited..." Yuri turned her head away from me, her face as red as a beet.

" What?! No! It's fine! It's nice to see you having fun." I gave her a warm and comforting smile. She returned the gesture with a small and discreet smile.

" Can we just go home?!" Natsuki butted in with an annoyed tone in her voice. She was clearly bored and was waiting for me to go home.

" Natsuki... Why must you bother Yoku with your incessant and annoying yelling?" I turned my head towards Yuri, her face now wore an irritated expression.

" Ugh! I was just telling Yoku to hurry up! Stop hogging him all to yourself, Yuri!" Natsuki retorted angrily.

" I'm not hogging him! It was Yoku's choice to read with me! The way I see it, you're the one who is being selfish!" Yuri said to Natsuki with an angry voice.

" Okay! Let's not get too heated here. Natsuki, Yuri, let's try to get along with each other, okay?" I try to calm the two girls down. They gave each other one last glare before Yuri finally came to her senses.

" Ah... I-I'm sorry... I just... I didn't know what came over me... I'm sorry." Yuri murmured out. Natsuki let out a 'hmph' and turned her back towards us.

" You need to learn to chill out, Yuri..." Natsuki left us and walked away. I shook my head in dismay and let out a sigh.

" Anyways, you ready to go shopping with me?" I asked her.

" Of course! I hope you're fine with having me accompany you..." Yuri replied meekly.

" Of course. Before we go however, let me just tell Monika about our little adventure." I said to her. She glanced at Monika, who is eyeing us from the front of the classroom. She gave a light nod and a smile. I walked over to Monika's spot and I tried my best to be discreet.

" Okay, Monika... Don't do anything horrible, okay?"

" Are you still mad at me about that, dear?"

" Yes. Anyway, here's the plan. You and Sayori tail us from a distance and try to get as much information on Yuri."

" Is... Is that the plan? Is that all?"

" No. I'll... I'll try my best to convince her to show and express her emotions in a more positive way. I'm planning on not dying this time..."

" I... I see... Well, I wish you luck, love."

I nod at Monika, before giving her a discreet kiss on the cheek.

" Yeah, thanks." I smiled and said goodbye to her before heading back to Yuri.

We picked up our stuff and Yuri and I headed out. Unlike my experience with the three, walking with Yuri is a quiet experience. She rarely talked, and when she did, she would usually stutter to the point where she would just sink back to her silence in order to avoid being further embarrassed. The entire 10 minute walk is just Yuri trying her best to come up with a subject to talk about with me, but she'll fail by stammering heavily and getting flustered. I'd try my best to seem open to any topic, but Yuri would get even more flustered and she'd become more silent. I found it amusing, really. How could such a socially awkward and shy girl be such a deadly killer when unhinged?

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

" Monika! I'm tired~!" Sayori whined.

" Shhh!!! She might hear us." I said to her sternly.

" Can you carry me on your back?"

" Wha- No! You're too heavy!"

" Meanie... Yoku would have carried me..."

" Well, I'm not Yoku. Oh shi- look! Is she pulling out her knife?!"

" Hmm? Oh no! That's clearly a knife! Monika, what are we gonna do?!"

" Let's stay calm and watch what's gonna happen..."

Sayori and I watched from the distance as Yuri pulled her knife out. We wanted to just make a dash for it as she raised her knife. Thankfully, Yuri only meant to show Yoku the knife. We let out a relived sigh from behind the bush. We were about to stand up when we heard someone cough from behind us. We turned around to see Natsuki behind us, her arms folded while she tapped her foot on the ground.

" What are you two doing?" Natsuki asked us. She glanced up and immediately she found her answer.

" Are you two... following them?" She said as she stared at Yoku and Yuri treading along the sidewalk.

" Natsuki, before you say anythi-"

" What are you two doing?! They're turning a corner! We're gonna lose them!" Natsuki cut me off from my excuse and began to run after the two.

We followed Natsuki, who seems to be pissed right now. We peeked around the corner, doing our best not to be spotted. We saw Yoku give back Yuri's knife as they walked away. We continue to watch from afar as they neared the shopping mall. Our eyes were glued on them. We cannot let Yuri do anything horrible.

" Is... Is Yoku cheating on you?!"

" What?! No! I'm sure he is just taking her shopping, that's all..."

" We should buy food. I'm hungry."

" Later... We need to keep an eye on- Where are they?" I looked around to find the two. I just turned my attention away from them for a minute and they vanished.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

It happened so suddenly, I didn't really see anything. I just felt Yuri grab my hand before we dashed towards a cramped alleyway. We run through the labyrinth-like system of alleyways. Yuri would glance occasionally over her shoulders as we run through the small paths. I couldn't say anything because I was too busy trying to catch my breath. I didn't expect Yuri to be this fast. Finally, after a while, we made it out of the alleyways. We were panting heavily, trying our best to catch our breath and calm down.

" Yuri...*pant*... Why were... we running?!" I wheezed for air in between words.

" I... I wanted to avoid going... t-through the crowd..." Yuri said in an embarrassed tone.

" That's it?! You decided to run just because you felt shy of other people?!" I asked with loud voice.

" Y-Yes... Sorry..." She replied timidly.

" Well, at least we're here now... Want to grab a drink before we go shopping?" I asked her, pointing at the nearby cafe just outside the mall.

" S-Sure..." She smiled and composed herself.

She fixed her now messy hair, strands of her long, violet hair stuck out in the sides. I guess running at full speed for a solid two minutes messes up your hair. She took out a black hairband from one of the pockets of her blazer and she tied her hair into a long ponytail. If Yuri already looked mature as is, then she just added more of that charm with her ponytail. It was... what's the word? Mesmerizing to look at Yuri. The long ponytail gave her a more... ''adult'' appearance. I kept staring at her that I failed to notice that she is staring back at me with a huge red streak across her face.

" Y-Yoku... Is... Is there something wrong?" She asked nervously.

" Huh? Oh! Sorry! Nope! None at all! I was just... captivated by how a ponytail could completely alter one's appearance." I replied to her in a warm tone.

" Ah... Y-Yes... I don't... usually tie my hair into a ponytail... But... I... ah... glad you like it!" She smiled at me warmly.

" Ahaha, anyways, sorry for maki-"

" _WAAAAAHHH!!!"_

Suddenly, Sayori came tumbling out of the alleyway we came from. She nearly lost her balance and had a nasty fall if it wasn't for my catch. I managed to catch her body in my arms and pulling her closer to prevent her from tripping over. Yuri and I were both surprised to see the little cinnamon bun dashing out of the maze we camecame from. I decided to let go of her, but she wouldn't do the same. She decided to hug me a little while longer before letting go.

" Ehehe... Nice catch." Sayori gave me a thumbs up and a wide, cheerful smile.

" Were... W-Were you following us?!" Yuri asked with a nervous voice.

" No point in lying now, huh Yoku? Yes! I was following you." Sayori answered confidently.

" Why?!" Yuri asked her with an irritated tone.

" Because Yoku is going shopping. And if Yoku is shopping, that means he has money. And if Yoku hashas money, he can treat me to food!" I knew this was an excuse, but I did my best to play along to fool Yuri.

" Sayori! You know it's rude to show up uninvited. Besides, I'm going to use my money for _our_ food!" I said to Sayori.

" Welp, I'm already here. Let's go~! Ahaha!" Sayori let's go of her embrace and runs to the direction of the cafe. I let out a sigh and looked at Yuri.

" Is it alright if she comes along?" I ask.

"... Sure... It's not bad to have some more company with us, right?" Yuri said with a hint of disappointment.

As Yuri walked forward, I looked back towards the alley. I could see Monika's and Natsuki's heads peeking out. I gave them a wave before I continued walking. Damn it Sayori... It's too dangerous when Yuri feels like someone is stealing me away from her. You better stay safe or I won't give you dinner tonight!


	54. Thied Time's a Charm! Part Three

Sayori happily slurped on the mocha frappe I bought for her. I could see that Yuri is fine with having Sayori with us, thank goodness. Yuri is currently reading a book on her phone while she sipped her Macha milktea. I bought a glazed doughnut for myself, but I quickly noticed that it has left my sight. I looked around the table for my doughnut, only to find Sayori gulping down the last bite.

" Delicious! Thanks for the food!" Sayori exclaimed in delight.

" Man... I wanted to eat that." I murmured to myself.

" Ehehe... Sorry! I was hungry~" Sayori smiled mischievously.

" It's fine. Did it taste good?" I asked her with a curious tone.

" Yes. It's really... good... hmmm?" Sayori tilted her head a little bit to the side. She looks like she is trying to look at something. I looked back and, to my surprise, saw that behind us is someone holding up a newspaper. I catch a glimpse of a white bow poking out of the newspaper.

" Is... Is something the matter, Yoku? Sayori? You seem to be searching for someone..." Yuri was about to look at the seat behind as well, but Sayori immediately stands up and distracts her.

" Yoku... I... I don't feel so good...Can you help me walk to the bathroom?" Sayori looked at me and winked discreetly.

" Oh, okay... Umm, Yuri... Is it fine? Can I leave you here for a bit?" I ask her politely as I stood up.

" Ah... Of course... We wouldn't want any accidents here, do we? Ahaha..." She smiled and took a sip of her drink. At that, Sayori and I quickly got away from her line of sight.

We passed by the table where Monika is sitting. I was surprised and caught off guard to see Natsuki sitting beside her. She smiles and waves, but before I could return the gesture Sayori has already dragged me outside of the store. Her eyes would dart to and fro around the place. She looked for a place we can talk in private and away from Yuri's eyes. After a moment, we found a nice bench that us far enough away from the cafe so Yuri won't be able to find us.

" Okay, first of all... What are you doing here?" I ask her. She let out a nervous chuckle.

" Well..." She proceeded to tell me what happened earlier.

 **Flashback starts**

" Monika~! Natsuki~! Wait up! You're going too fast!" I whined as I tried my best to catch up to the two.

" Run as fast as you can, Sayori! We don't want to lose them!" Monika said in a calm voice.

" They're just around this corner." Natsuki remarked.

We made our way through the dark, icky and cramped alleys. As we neared the exit, I quicken my pace in an effort to catch up to them. But in my rush, I accidentally stumbled over my foot. It caused me to tumble over and out of the alleyway.

 **Flashback ends**

" After that, I decided to pretend I'm following you for food." Sayori giggled to herself.

" Ohhh... Well, I can't really blame you for tripping over yourself. But look, Sayori, if anything happens, call me." I said to her sternly.

" I'll be fine! You have to worry about yourself! I can see that you're getting real close to achieving your goal." Sayori's warm smile and words of encouragement gave me a little confidence boost.

" Ahaha, sure. Anyways, let's get back to the cafe. I'm sure Yuri's probably about to explode due to her anxiety." I let out a chuckle as we stand up from the bench. Sayori smiles and skips on over to my side as we walk back to the cafe near the mall.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

Sayori and I were at a lost for words when we entered the cafe. Sitting there on our seats is Monika and Natsuki, happily chatting with Yuri. We walk over them, smiling awkwardly as we did so.

" Oh, heeeey! Nice to see you, Yoku and Sayori! Where have you two wonder off too? What a coincidence to run into you three today, ahaha!" Monika exclaimed cheerfully.

" Y-Yeah... Uhh... What are you two doing here?" I asked Monika while giving her a confused look.

" Well, you see... Natsuki here wanted to go clothes shopping. Isn't that right, Natsuki?" Monika nudged Natsuki's shoulder.

" Y-Yeah..." Natsuki let out an annoyed response.

I looked over at Yuri. She seemed, irritated. Her eyes would dart towards the three, her lips curling into a slight scowl from time to time. Monika noticed this behavior, she looked at Yuri and calmly smiled at her.

" Anyways, sorry for disturbing you three. We'll be on our way now. Take care!" Monika and Natsuki stood up and waved goodbye at us.

I could hear Yuri giggle in delight. With Monika and Natsuki gone, I guess she only has to deal with Sayori now. She's probably thinking that she needs to find a way to separate Sayori from us. I know for a fact that Sayori has no intention of leaving me alone, and thank god for that. With Sayori here, I don't think Yuri would try to do anything funny with me. We got up and left the cafe to go walk around the mall and shop for some things.

The huge mall complex boasts that it is the second largest mall in the country. It is divided into 4 main buildings, each containing different kinds of stores and at least four storeys tall. The mall is bustling with people, flooding into different stores and restaurants within the mall. We took a look around the place, window shopping as we did so. We would hop from store to store, looking at the different wares being sold in each one. From the huge and vast department stores to the fragrant and bustling food courts, we were pulled by our feet to this different locations. Well, Sayori was the one that pulled us to the food court. We bought some takoyaki from a stall, and they were delicious! I also bought some fried squid for myself, which I found quite delectable. To be honest, I just bought the fried squid cause I remembered that Mon-ika joke.

After we finished our snacks, we immediately went to the bookstore. Yuri was the one that suggested it because she wants to look for new books. The three of us split up due to the difference in our preferences. Sayori decided to look at the romance novels in one corner of the store, Yuri was nowhere to be seen, and I'm here browsing manga. I picked up a copy of Parfait Girls and I began to scan through it. Suddenly, I received a call from Monika.

" Yo! What's up?" I said nonchalantly.

" Look behind you." Monika answered. I turned my head around to see Monika and Natsuki's head poking out from behind a bookshelf.

" Okay, first of all... Why are you following us? Second, you want me to pick up something for you, Natsuki?" I smiled and picked up a Parfait Girls manga from the shelves.

" Yoku... Yoku... Ah! There you are! I've been looki-... Uhh... I... I see you've been reading manga..." Yuri said as she run up to me. I gave a quick glance at Monika and Natsuki's position. They're gone.

" Oh, yeah... I'm a fan of what Natsuki reads... By the way, why were you looking for me?" I asked her as I pu away the manga.

" Oh... I... I was wondering if you'd like to... Erm... pick out some books with me..." Yuri awkwardly smiled as she held up a hardbound book in her hands.

" Sure, let's go find some books to read." I said to her.

" Wonderful! Let's take a look over there, shall we?" Yuri pointed towards the area filled with the long and complex novels. Most of which are either mystery and suspense novels, or books from the fantasy genre.

I followed her lead as we begin to examine each book. At first, I'd try to look at the contents of each book, but seeing that I don't really prefer any of them, I started glossing over them quicker. But, in the corner of my eyes, I can see that Yuri is trying to find something. After a while, her eyes lit up as she took out a book with a crimson cover. Her lips curled into a smile as she flipped the book over.

" I've been trying to find this book for a long time! Yoku, this is a must read!" Yuri handed me the book excitedly. I took a look and saw that it is called "The Traveler". The cover is an illustration of a figure cloaked in black holding up a lantern in front of a small hut.

" What's the plot?" I ask Yuri politely as I opened the book.

" It's about this old man who gave up on life and his encounter with a traveler during a dark and stormy night. It's a mix of mystery, suspense and fiction. I've read this once in a library, but I can't seem to find it there." Yuri answered excitedly.

" I see... Want me to buy it for you?" I said with a smile. Yuri's excitement flushed away from her face and was replaced by surprise and embarrassment.

" Ah! Ah... I-Is... Is that... Ah... Okay?" Yuri asked anxiously.

" Of course! I-"

" Yoku~! I'm going home!" Sayori cut me off as she walked up to me. She paid no attention to the glances and looks she was getting.

" Oh! Sorry, Yuri... Didn't mean to interrupt you." Sayori smiled apologetically at Yuri. Yuri smiled at Sayori.

" It's ok... Uhh... Stay safe when you walk home." Yuri patted Sayori's head and waved goodbye.

" Yeah, call me when something happens, ok?" I told Sayori with a stern voice.

" I'll be fine! Anyways, I'll be going now. Bye!" As Sayori waved goodbye to me, I noticed that she slipped a note into my hands. She had a worried look on her face but she did her best to hide it.

After Sayori left, Yuri and I continued to look for more books. In the end, we bought four books, two for each of us. I bought Yuri the book she showed me earlier and an arts and crafts book while I bought a manga and a cook book with vegetarian recipes. Yuri helped me buy some groceries from the supermarket. I've got to say, she knows a lot about vegetarian food. Which is surprising. We carried two bags of groceries each, thankfully it wasn't that heavy. As we walked home, I noticed that Yuri is in a pleasant mood. She had a wide smile on her face while she walked, she was upbeat and cheerful today.

" You... Uhhh... seem to be in a good mood. Had fun today, perhaps?" I mused to her. Immediately she began to get flustered.

" Ah... Ahhh... I... Ermm..." She was choking on her words due to her embarrassment.

" Ahaha. Don't get bashful. It's bad to hide that cute attitude of yours, you know?" I teased her.

" Y-Yoku! I-It's... It's rude to s-suddenly call women cute!" She said with a hint of embarrassment.

" Ahaha! But you liked it? Ahaha... Anyways, it's nice to see you have fun today. I liked that..." I gladly said to her. Her nervousness slowly faded away as she began to ease up.

" Why don't we take a seat first, okay? You seem to be getting tired." I pointed to a nearby bench. Yuri nodded in agreement and we placed down our bags beside us before sitting down on the bench.

Yuri took out her book and began to read silently. It was like she was in her own world right now. I placed a hand into my pocket, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. I discreetly read it at my side, away from Yuri's view. It was hastily written by Sayori. As I began to read, my heart sank to my feet.

 _Yoku_

 _I had to leave because Yuri threatened to get rid of me if I didn't._ _It was scary!_ _Listen Yoku, Monika and I talked about it. I'll take Natsuki home while she fetches you. Yoku, whatever you do,_

 _Don't leave crowded areas!_

A chill ran down my spine. Beside me, I could feel Yuri's gaze penetrate my soul. A quick glance around revealed that there is not a single soul out here except Yuri and mine. I took a gulp amd calmed myself down.

" I was just looking at the receipt. Phew, I thought I went over budget." I made up an excuse in a jiffy.

" I... I'm sorry... You must've spent too much on me..." Yuri's gaze softened as she bowed her head in shame.

" No! It's fine! I don't mind at all. What matters is that you had fun today." I said to her. Her slight frown turned into a smile.

Yuri closed the book before letting out a heavy sigh. Her violet eyes stared up into the afternoon sky. Her smile slowly faded from her facade as she squinted into the distance. Strands of her hair flew backwards as a gust of wind blew. An uneasy silence formed between us. Yuri let out a pained chuckle before looking at me with a warm gaze.

" Yoku... I... Ah... Uh... Geez... Why am I like this... I can't get cold feet now!" Yuri took a deep breath and stood up. She steeled herself as I mentally prepared myself for something bad.

" Yoku... I... I need to get this off my chest... I... I lov-"

" Yoku! There you are!" The moment was broken by Monika's voice as she ran towards our direction. A feeling of relief flushed over me as Monika neared us.

" Oh, hi Yuri. I'll be taking Yoku home now." Monika walked past a now angry Yuri before taking hold of my hand.

" Monika. I'm sorry, but why don't you let me walk Yoku home? Alone..." Yuri's eye twitched as she walked up to Monika.

" Yuri, I'm sure you'd like that, but Yoku here does not want to." Monika calmly said to Yuri.

" Well, I'm sure he'd also like you to kill yourself. It would be a great help for your mental health." Yuri retorted seriously.

Monika paused for a moment. This threat did not faze her. She took. deep breath and smiled at Yuri, ignoring the glare she is receiving from her.

" It's been a long day, Yuri. Let's not escalate things here. Thing's won't turn out great for anyone, I promise." Monika came out a little bit condescending in her warning. This aggravated Yuri even more.

" Ahaha! I don't think so. Why don't you go away and leave us be. Clearly, Yoku has chosen me over you! So I'm sure there is no need to fight over him." Yuri has an irritated smile on her face as she inched her hands towards her pockets.

" Yuri... I don't know what kind of fantasy you're having in your head, but we're leaving. So, if you'd just calm down for a moment, maybe we can talk this through." Monika still spoke calmly, but she's now a little more serious in her tone.

A tense feeling can be felt in the air around us. A choking weight in the air foreshadowing something to come. I got up from my seat and I tried to walk over to them. But, it seems my legs were frozen in pace due to the anxiousness I'm feeling.

" Ahaha... Talking now would be pointless. Besides, I have no chance of beating you in an argument, president." Yuri smiled in a condescending manner.

" I see... There is no point in negotiating with you..." Monika said softly in a dismayed and dissapointed tone.

" Yes, I have no intention of arguing anymore. Afterall, I still see a problem in front of me." Yuri's grin was instantly replaced by a frown.

" And that is?" Monika asked in a curious tone.

" That you still haven't opened up to the idea of killing yourself... As a friend, let me give you a little push in the right direction!" I saw a metallic glimmer from the pocket of Yuri's blazer as she dashed towards Monika.

And in an instant, time seemed to slow down as adrenaline pumped through me. In that moment, I leapt up from my spot and made my choice on what to do. I slammed my body against Monika as Yuri raised her arm, hilding a cold and familiar piece of steel in her hands. Everything was a blur after that. I saw the color of crimson splash everywhere. I could hear Monika scream out and fall to the ground. I could hear the clang of the knife as it dropped to the ground. All I saw was Yuri and Monika's look of horror and dread on my right side, and darkness on the left. I could feel a gashing and burning pain on the left side of my face. As I touched it, I felt a deep gash and the warmth of fresh blood on my fingers. My left eye might have been cut by the blade, I do not know. I couldn't see on my left side anymore. I knelt on the cold ground in pain, clutching the left side of my face.

I could hear Monika and Yuri scream at each other before running towards me. I was blacking out due to the pain. I was slipping in and out if consciousness...

I could see Monika's sorrowful expression and Yuri crying in guilt. Beside me, I felt Yuri's knife at the edge of my fingers. I took it and weakly held it out to her.

" Ah.. Ahaha... Y-You dropped... this... Ughhhh..." I let out one last groan as I slipped into unconsciousness.

The last thing I heard was Monika and Yuri shouting out my name in desperation and fear.


	55. Third Time's a Charm(End)

I woke up in a white space, surrounded by mounds of empty bags of chips. I looked around to see Akami-sama happily watching what is happening inside of my house. He laughed in delight as he watched Monika bicker and fight with Yuri, who was too busy crying her eyes out in remorse to fight back. Sayori was trying her best to treat the wound on my face with Natsuki beside her. It was a bloody scene, and the chaos was just heightened when Maido entered the room with a bowl of hot water to clean the towels only to trip and splash it all over my limp body.

" Ouch! That must've hurt! Thankfully, only your chest would've suffered severe burns." Akami-sama smiled as he watched the five girls panic over me.

" Am... Am I dead?" I asked him with a worried tone.

" Nope. But you're just barely, and I mean _barely_ hanging in there. You're already on the verge of death. But thanks to Monika and I, you won't die just yet!" Akami-sama laughed as he pulled out his command console.

" Look, I don't think you're gonna need that resurrection thing anymore. The way I see it, you are already so close to saving Yuri and the others." Akami-sama smiled and began to type in his console.

" W-What if I die?! A-And what about my eye and my injuries?!" I pressed him about that issue. He shrug it off and chuckled.

" Bah! Don't worry about that. Monika is there to take care of you. Besides, they already called an ambulance, you'll be fine!" Akami-sama spoke with an amused tone.

I was baffled by his carefree attitude. It was as if he didn't care about what is happening to my body right now. I watched as Monika and the others wipe off the hot water on my chest. I could see that my skin is red due to the burns I sustained when Maido accidentally splashed hot water over me.

" You know, I just realized it... But you haven't really... _talked_ to Yuri. You haven't tried talking to her about her problems. You just brought up the topic and... well... you guys just didn't really focus on that." Akami-sama sighed, his eyes showed a hint of sadness.

He paused for a moment, looking at the scene that is unfolding before us. I did not know what happened, but in an instant, my room was completely turned upside down. Monika was angrily beating Yuri while Maido and Natsuki did their best to stop her. I could see Sayori cowering beside my unresponsive body, doing everything she can to wake me up.

" Yoku... They need you there. You're the reason why Monika is laying into Yuri. She's angry not just at Yuri, but herself. She wasn't able to protect the person she loves from something she has already foresaw." Akami-sama spoke softly as he typed something into the console.

" I... I see... You're right, I have to prevent this from escalating any further. Akami-sama, send me back!" I said sternly yet I shaked and quivered in my feet.

" Way ahead of you... Bye!" Akami-sama said cheerfully before waving goodbye. Suddenly, I felt the space around me distort and crumble away. Then, I was ripped away from the space where Akami-sama resided and returned to my body.

Akami-sama let out a sigh as he slumped back into his chair. He pulled out a large black notebook and sifted through its contents. His lips contorted into a slight frown as his eyes read the paragraphs within. He took a look at Yoku's body and groaned. He didn't want to tell the boy of what he did. It was for his own good. He didn't want to tell Yoku that this isn't the third time he tried to save Yuri, rather it was his 93rd time. He recalled the last time Yoku died, it was a painful memory. The boy looked so broken, his hope nearly faded away due to his constant failures. Akami-sama felt bad for him, so he decided to erase the memories of the past failures excluding the first and second ones.

He took a quick glance at Yoku's 92nd life. In that life, he had to see Sayori die in front of him after she decided to confront Yuri about her forceful attitude towards Yoku. Sayori didn't want Yuri to bother Yoku anymore, so she told her that she should accept Yoku's feelings towards her. Yuri's answer was a simple yet effective slash to the neck. Akami-sama winced as he remembered how Sayori died in Yoku's arms. In his grief, Yoku took up Yuri's knife and... killed her. The brutal scene was witnessed by Natsuki and Monika, and to their horror, they also saw Yoku take his own life.

Akami-sama flipped through a couple of pages towards Yoku's 86th life. It was i. that life where he ended up running away from everything. He concluded that he was the root of the Literature Club's problems, and by getting rid of himself, he would rid the club of all its troubles. He didn't pack anything but the clothes on his back and immediately left the city. For a week, he jumped from city to city. trying his best to survive. In the end, he died after being mugged in some alley. Akami-sama remembered the talk he gave to Yoku back then, on why he shouldn't shoulder the problems of the club in himself.

Akami-sama wanted to read more, but he knew that he shouldn't. Those things were now behind them, right where it should be. He smiled as he snapped his fingers, and in a flash of light burned the book to a pile of cinders. All those memories, gone in an instant, what a joke. He knew he shouldn't have erased Yoku's memories of those times, but he couldn't help it. The boy is already falling apart and all it takes is just one more push before he breaks. Akami-sama smiled and relaxed in his recliner as he tuned in to Yoku's life. His lips curled into a wide smile, his eyes lit up with amusement as he thought about the possible things that could happen.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

I woke up to the sound of a distant siren, screams of anger and sobbing. I could barely move my lips, let alone open my eyes. I couldn't describe the pain I felt, but I can't even open my mouth to scream. I felt a tug on my shoulder, a soft yet forceful tug. With all of my strength, I opened my eye to see Sayori crying beside me. There was a lull in the fighting as I slowly moved my body. I couldn't open my left eye, and my I could feel a searing pain on my chest, but that didn't stop me from trying to sit upright.

" H-Hi... I'm back." Silence filled the room as the girls laid their eyes on me.

Suddenly, I found myself being tightly embraced by Monika, Sayori and Natsuki. Their hug both felt warm and comforting, yet at the same time sent a painful sting through my body. I let out a pained smile as Sayori and Monika cried on me, while I did my best to laugh off Natsuki's worried nagging. I glanced over at Maido, who is standing away from me with a look of fear and guilt on her face.

" Y-Yoku... The ambulance is gonna get here any minute now." Maido said meekly, her eyes avoided my gaze.

" You know, it's not your fault that you tripped and splashed hot water all over me. With all the shit going down around you, it would've been a miracle if you managed to bring the hot water safely." I laughed a bit, before wincing at the pain I felt.

" S-Sorry about that... Truly, I am..." Maido said softly, frowning as she slowly walked forward.

" Don't worry about it, it's fine. Umm, can you get me s-"

I was cut off by the sound of loud knocking and the blaring sirens coming from outside. Maido quickly dashed for the front door to assist the paramedics in taking me to the hospital. Just then, I felt Sayori's embrace loosen. She had a worried look in her eyes, yet she still smiled at me. She patted my head before giving me one last parting hug.

" You better be alright! I don't want to lose the best cook in the club! Okay?" Sayori lets go of me before taking hold of Natsuki's collar.

" Wha! Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Natsuki yelled out.

" We're going home. Yoku needs some rest!" Sayori answered back, forcefully dragging Natsuki out of the room.

There was a short silence. I could hear Maido informing the paramedics of what happened to me. I felt relieved that I was about to know that I'm gonna get my eye checked. I felt Monika's hand caress my cheek. Her green eyes stared deeply into my own, and I could feel concern and worry from them. She smiled sadly at me, trying her best to ease my pain.

" I'm really sorry I wasn't able to get there in time. I really am." Monika sighed as she pulled away her hand.

" I already knew that this might happen. Especially when I saw Yuri threatening Sayori earlier... I shouldn't have let my guard down." She spoke calmly, yet I could feel a strong sense of guilt in her words.

" Relax! I didn't die! Besides, the only reason Yuri lashed out is because you suddenly showed up out of the blue." I said to her with a smile.

" Yeah... But even so! Who knows what that psychopath might do to you!" Monika said out loud. Suddenly, we heard a cough from the corner of the room. To our great surprise, Yuri is sitting there alone.

" _I... I'm still here... you know..._ " Yuri bowed her head down. Her purple bangs covered most of her face, but I could still see the marks on her cheeks where her tears dried up, causing it to become puffy and red.

" Oh... We... Uhhh... didn't notice you there... Could please lea-" I took hold of Monika's hand, grabbing her attention. I shook my head softly and smiled.

" Hey... Don't be too harsh on her. Try to understand her feelings." I softly said to her. She paused for a moment, glancing over at Yuri one last time before sighing.

" I... Well... I can't really stomach the idea that my best friend tried to steal and kill the person I love." Monika spoke with a composed yet angered tone.

" _I'm... I'm really sorry..._ " Yuri murmured out from under her voice.

" Look, Monika, just try and talk it out wi-"

I was cut off when a two paramedics entered my room carrying a stretcher. Seeing this, I looked over at the two and pointed at them. Yuri was confused at this, and Monika simply gave me a blank look.

" You two. Come with me..." I said sternly before being carried away on the stretcher.

 ***DDLC: Our Reality***

We arrived in the E.R. after at least five minutes. In those five minutes in the ambulance, I simply took a nap as a paramedic told me to do so to conserve blood. Apparently, I've lost quite a lot of blood from my body due to my wounds. I immediately underwent a blood transfusion at the E.R. I received a handful of stitches on my face and an ointment for the burns on my chest. Thankfully, my injuries weren't too serious. They told me that my left eye would be fine, but it might take a couple of weeks to recover. I was surprised when they told me that I should be careful next time when fixing my bike. When I asked about it, they told me that my guardian informed them that I was injured when my bike chain came off and sliced my face. I was also informed that I'll be staying in the hospital for a few more days so that they can run a few tests on me. To my absolute surprise, it seems I have health insurance, thank god for that. Looks like I won't have to worry much about these entire incident.

After I was placed on a wheelchair and wheeled off to my room, I heard two familiar voices bickering behind me. I turned my head to see Yuri and Monika arguing with each other. I let out a sigh as I told the nurse to hand me over to them.

" If it wasn't for you, we won't be in this place..." Monika spoke in a condescending tone.

" I... Ah... W-Well... I..." Yuri tried to find an excuse, but she couldn't.

" That's enough. Geez, can you two stop? I'm getting frustrated at you two. Especially you, Monika." I said sternly, causing them to stop.

We were lead to my room. It was a small but spacious one, with a small TV in front of the bed. I was assisted to the bed before promptly being connected to an IV bag. After that, the nurse gave us a short talk about what to do during emergencies before taking her leave. I let out a sigh as Yuri and Monika sat beside me. If I were to keep this club together, I need to mend these two's friendship.

" Hey, Monika... would you consider forgiving Yuri?" I ask calmly. She had a surprised look in her face.

" Of course! But in time... Right now, I'm still mad at her for endangering your life." She replied calmly as well.

" Fair enough... Well, I guess I'm in the fault too." I said with a slight frown on my lips. This caught their attention.

" Huh? Why?!" They both asked in unison.

" Well... I kept hiding our relationship from everyone, so it's fair to assume that I'm available." I said with a laugh. They both frowned at me before sighing.

" Anyways, yeah... Sorry Yuri. As you can see, I'm already taken by this devil." I spoke calmly to Yuri. She winced a little, but she composed herself and smiled sadly.

" Ah... I... I see..." She murmured softly.

" Yuri, if you're thinking of anything funny with Yoku, you better-"

" Monika! Rude! Look, I trust Yuri that she won't pull more of that dangerous stuff, and you should too." I said sternly at her. Monika, merely gave me a doubtful expression.

" N-No... She's right..." Yuri softly murmured out.

" About what?" I asked.

" A-About e-everything... I-I'm a d-danger... not just to you... b-but to e-everyone... I'm sorry..." Yuri said with a remorseful tone. I could see tears welling up in her eyes.

" Yuri... Monika, can you give us some time alone? Please?" Monika was clearly hesitant at first, but she let out a sigh and nodded. She told me that she's gonna buy some snacks and that I should call her when I'm done, then she walked out.

I turned towards Yuri, seeing that she was fighting to keep her tears from spewing out. Her hands were clenched into fists atop her lap while she kept her head down to avoid looking at me. At that moment, I didn't know what to say to her, I have so much to tell her. I let out a sigh and spoke to her.

" Yuri, kill yourself." I said to her coldly. She was taken aback by this statement.

" Not so nice to hear, isn't it? Though you're already doing it to yourself, albeit slowly." I let out a warm smile as I said those words to her. At this point, stopping her tears from flowing is impossible. Yuri broke down to tears, her cries are filled with guilt and remorse.

" I'm... I'm sorry... I really am sorry... I'm-"

" Why are you apologizing? There's nothing to apologize for. I was never mad at you in the first place." My words only made her cry harder. Perhaps the kindness in my words pained her even more.

" N-No... Y-you're lying! Y-You must hate me from the bottom of your heart!" She cried out.

" Yuri... No, I don't hate you. You might have tried to kill me, but I don't think you really meant that." I spoke softly in order to try and calm her down.

" B-But why?! Why won't you get mad at me?! A-Are you not furious at my actions?!" She pressed me for an answer. Her violet eyes stared intently at me, begging me to answer her.

" Because... I... I don't think that you're a bad person. I think... I think you just did those things because you're confused, that's all." I smiled warmly at her. But my answer only served to bring even more confusion to her mind and hurt her heart.

She was stunned at this. She tried to talk, but her words got stuck in her throat. I could see that she really want to pour her heart out, but the words refuse to come out of her mouth. Her futile attempts to speak up made her cry even more in frustration. Eventually, she found the words she wanted to say. She stopped, er, rather forced herself to stop crying and start speaking.

" I'm sorry... I really am... I was furious... furious that Monika already captured your heart..." Yuri spoke softly, trying her best not to start crying again. I let out a sigh and spoke.

" Yuri, the way I see it... You don't hate Monika for taking me away. You hate yourself for not taking the chance." She once again found herself stunned by my words. She scrunched her skirt in frustration.

"..." Her silence meant I struck a nerve.

" All this time, you've been slowly killing yourself from the inside. Your anxiety and doubts prevented you from speaking out your thoughts to others, so you instead opted to bottle all of that negativity inside of you." Her face scrunched up, scowling at my words.

" In the end however, you only managed to poison yourself with those feelings. You avoided others, thinking that they would never understand you. With that, you ended up secluding yourself even more, further increasing the confusion you're already feeling within you..." I spoke my heart out, trying my best to empathize with her. I wanted her to tell me how she really felt, but she remained silent, stuck in her shell.

" Your confusion led you to search for a way to release those bottled up feelings of yours. Your search ended when you decided to cut yourself. With your self-mutilation, you found a way to release the anger you felt for yourself and a way to ignore the creeping feeling of loneliness within you. But when you felt the new sensation of love in your life, you didn't know how to deal with it properly. You ended being more confused and frustrated at yourself, causing you to cut yourself even more." My words cut deep, like a hot knife through butter. Yuri couldn't take it anymore, breaking down crying in front of me.

" No wonder you resorted to violence. You've been dealing with your emotions using violence. I think now is the time to try talking to someone." I sat up and prepared to listen to her. Her initial reaction was shock, followed by a brief silence before crying once more.

" How... How could you do this to me?! How could you make me feel this myriad of emotions within me?! How could your words bring me comfort yet at the same time make me hate myself even more?!"

" I don't know... But what I do know is that the answer is found within you." I calmly said to her.

" Then... answer me this, Yoku. Why... Why does my heart ache for you? Even when I know I stand no chance, when I've already been defeated... Why can't I help myself loving you even more?" I sense desperation in her words. Desperation and confusion. Whatever I say now, it will affect her for the rest of her life.

" Perhaps... Because you don't want to let go of the light you saw in your life. You don't want to give up the beacon of hope that you saw. Perhaps... you didn't want to lose the very first person that made you feel love." I said to her as I placed a hand on her shoulder.

" Yuri, although I can't be your lover, I want you to know that you could always lean on me for support. That's what friends are for, right?" I smiled warmly at her. In an instant, I found myself being embraced by Yuri. Her river of tears flowed down her cheeks and dampened my shoulder.

" I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry..." She repeated those words over and over for the next few minutes while I did my best to comfort and reassure her.

Shortly after that, I managed to calm her down. Her eyes are now red due to her constant crying. She pulled away from her embrace and wiped the remaining tears on her face. She regained her composure and cleared her throat. Though I could see that she wore a sad smile on her face, I could feel that she managed to lift the crushing weight on her chest that she harboured for a long time.

We began to talk about her problems. We started bby addressing her habit of cutting herself. Though I didn't force her to stop it at once, I managed to convince her to gradually refrain from doing it so often. I gave her some helpful tips on doing it before we moved on to the next topic. It was a shocker for me, but I found out that she lacked self-esteem due to her figure. I always thought that she avoided people due to their complicated nature, but it turns out she avoided them to the fact she found herself to be _'uninteresting'._ I spent at least half an hour listening to Yuri pouring out the contents of her heart to me. Her violet eyes shone brightly with joy everytime I sympathized with her predicament. She found solace within my words as we shared experiences with the same problems.

In the end, Yuri finally came to a conclusion. Rather than forcing me to love her, she'd support me in my decision to be with Monika. And! She decided that she'd try to express her feelings through writing novels and poetry. A decision I happily encouraged her to follow. She smiled brightly, before hugging me once more. Instead of the self-deprecating apologies I usually heard from her, I heard only grateful thanks from her mouth. I returned her hug and said to her;

" No, thank you. I'm glad you finally found your peace." I hugged her tightly, marking the end of this dreadful route.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

Monika sat beside the vending machine. She munched on her third candy bar. A pained look in her eyes could be seen. She knew that she managed to give Yoku his wanted ending, but... why does she feel so... empty? So incomplete, so... lonely? This is the happy ending everyone deserves, she knew that... but is this the ending she wanted? Her mind and heart stands conflicted at this thought. Ever since the beginning, she had toyed with this idea in the back of her mind, but now... She faced a dilemma. She knew that Yoku would want to live happily with everyone, including her, but she knew he'll die someday. This only meant one thing, she'll be alone again some day. But, in her heart, she wanted Yoku to live with her forever, but this meant he'll have to abandon everything.

She crushed the candy bar between her teeth in frustration. There could only be one choice then, she thought. She had to do _it._ It may ruin everything, but she knew she'll be able to give Yoku not the ending he wanted, but the ending he deserved.

" I'm sorry, my love." She pulled out her console and held back her tears as she typed.

 _os.remove(*characters/_


	56. Chr File not Found

I woke up in the hospital the next day. The morning sun shone brightly through the blinds. I looked around to see Yuri sleeping on a chair next to my bed. If I remember correctly, we fell asleep after talking about various novels. It was weird that Monika never came back, well, to be honest, I didn't call her back. It slipped my mind. I tapped Yuri in her arm and gently woke her up. She shrugged and shook her head lightly. Her violet eyes stared at mine with a sleepy look. Her long, purple hair stuck out in some places and drool can be seen at the side of her mouth. After a brief moment, she immediately notices her appearance and quickly did something about them. Pulling out her handkerchief, she wiped away the dried up saliva on her mouth and rubbed her eyes.

" G-Good morning! Ah! Sorry for letting you s-see me like this..." She let out a nervous chuckle before standing up.

" Excuse me... I'll just use the bathroom." Yuri politely excused herself before using the bathroom in the corner of the room.

As I waited for Yuri, I pulled out my phone and went through my contacts. Huh? That's strange... Monika isn't here. Perhaps I deleted her number during our fight. I decided to call Sayori instead of Monika. After a moment, Sayori eventually picked up the phone. She sounded sleepy and tired.

" Hello...? Yoku? *Yaaawn~* Morning..." She mumbled out groggily.

" Good morning. Hey, could you do me a favor? Mind calling Monika for me? I seem to have forgotten her number." There was a short silence on the line. I could hear Sayori scratch her head in confusion.

" Huh? Who's that? A girlfriend of yours?" Sayori said jokingly. I let out a laugh too in response.

" Ahaha, yup! Perhaps the sweetest person I know, second only to you." We laughed together at this statement.

" Wow! I can't wait to meet her! Ahaha! Is she pretty?" Sayori asked teasingly.

" Very much so. I could worship her as a god, but I don't really believe in religion." We laughed once more. Our cheerful laughter filled the line before eventually fading.

" All right, all right... You had your fun, please stop now. Could you please give her a call? I haven't seen her at the hospital." I laughed at her in return, but I was only met with silence.

" W-Who's that? Yoku, I swear... I don't know who you're talking about. If this is some sort of joke, I don't like it. It's mean." Sayori said seriously, clearly irritated by the question she can't answer.

" Seriously?! Monika?! Club President?! The little devil that we've all come to know and love?! The perfect image of a student?! Doesn't ring a bell?!" I said angrily. Once again, I was met by a confused and baffled silence.

" Yoku... Are you sure you didn't hurt your head? Last time I checked, **you** are the club president... And we've never heard of this perfect student." Sayori had a worried tone. I could feel her sense of concern through the line.

" I... No... Are you sure? You don't remember a brunette girl that wears a big and puffy white bow all the time? With emerald green eyes?" I asked worriedly. Sayori paused for a moment before eventually answering.

" Sorry... No, I have no idea who she is. Look, Yoku, I'm sure you're still tired. It's still early so go get so-"

I hanged up on Sayori and drop my phone in frustration. It doesn't take a genius to put two on two together. I let out a low grumble before punching a pillow.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

 **Maido's POV**

 **Sayori's house** **(Thursday** **Morning)**

I enter Sayori's house carrying their breakfast. The small kitten known as NyanNyan meowed before jumping outside, what a cute little furball. The first thing I saw is Sayori scratching her head in confusion. She seems frustrated at something, something serious. I place down the tray on the table and sat beside her. Sayori paid little attention to me, her focus is set entirely on one thing.

" Mhmmmmmm... Is Yoku seeing someone?! No... It can't be..." Sayori muttered out.

" Hmm? Yoku two-timing? I'm sure someone is mad." I said out loud, grabbing her attention.

" Wha?! No! I... It's not my say who Yoku chooses... But..." I was caught off guard by Sayori's remarks.

" He should be with whoever he chooses! Besides, I'm sure he'd rather stay single to avoid anymore responsibilities." Sayori let out a sigh as she took a sad look at herself.

" Huh? But... Isn't Monika his girlfriend? Wait... do you even remember what happened yesterday?" I questioned her with a baffled tone. She was surprised by my question, her look says it all.

" Yesterday? Mmmmm... Yoku got in a bike accident and... well... uhhhh... I don't really remem- Huh?! Monika?! You know her too?!" Sayori exclaimed in shock before taking hold of my shoulders and shaking me lightly. I was stupefied by the answer I got.

" Yes! Hold on, do you not remember her?! Your best friend?!" I asked her. Confusion is written all over her face. This girl just keeps getting more confused by the minute.

" Wha?! No! I don't have a friend with that name. Did Yoku told you about her?!" Sayori asked with an offended look.

" _What the fuck..._ Ok, Sayori. Could you turn around for a second?" I asked politely.

" Ok, but wh- Argh!" I landed a swift, horizontal knifehand strike on Sayori's carotid artery. I pulled back in order not to kill her accidentally.

" Sorry! But I need you to sleep for now. This might get ug-"

" Hey Maido, what's- OH MY FUCKING GOD WHAT HAPPENED?!" I looked up to see Natsuki staring at Sayori's limp body lying unconsciously on the sofa. She wore a terrified look on her face as she slowly backed away.

" I'm really sorry, but I can't allow you to do anything brash." I said as I stood up and rolled my sleeves up. Natsuki let out a shriek before running upstairs and locking her room.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

I was trying to wrap my head around what the hell is happening. I tried my best to remain calm, but the thought of Monika deleting herself brought a sour taste to my mouth. As I buried my head with these thoughts, I heard Yuri scuffle outside the bathroom. She straightened out her skirt before hurrying to my side and taking a seat on the chair next to my bed. She turned on the TV, blasting the opening theme of the Parfait Girl's anime. Yuri's eyes widened in surprise as she fumbled around to try and change the channel.

" Hehehe... I wonder who tuned in to the anime channel last night..." I let out a mischievous grin. A streak of red formed across Yuri's face.

" Ah... I... Uh... Well..."

" Don't worry, I won't tell Natsuki. But, I'm pretty sure she'd have a laugh about this." I teased Yuri, causing her to hide her face in her hands.

" You're so mean! I... I was... I was just curious..." Yuri murmured out, her eyes avoided my amused gaze.

" _Hehehehe..._ Yeah right, I bet you enjoyed the part where-" I was interrupted by the loud buzzing of my phone. I picked it up and placed it beside my ear. I could hear Maido pant and drag something behind her.

" Hello, Yoku-"

" Yoku! This is an emergency. I've deemed this simulation as 'compromised'. I-" She was cut off by the someone kicking her leg.

" Argh! Let go of me! Yoku! Help us-" The phone was dropped to the floor, followed by the sound of Natsuki being muffled and silenced.

" Look, Yoku... I know you already know what's going on. If you want to see Monika again, please cooperate." Maido's tone is cold and grim. She was serious, seriously mad. I took a big gulp and stammered.

" Y-Yeah... What do y-you want me t-to do?" There was a pause on the line before Maido lets out a sigh.

" Take Yuri to the basement in our house. The one Akami-sama created. I'll prepare the the ritual." With that, the line abruptly ended. I was left confused and scared, nit knowing what happened to Sayori and Natsuki.

Yuri noticed my obvious distress. She turned off the TV and took out a bottle of water from her bag. She handed it to me and I happily accepted it. The room isn't hot or humid, in fact, the air-conditioning unit is blasting fresh, cool air constantly. Yet, I can't help but pour out bucketfuls if sweat. I turned to Yuri, and placed a shaky hand atop hers. She was caught off guard by this, by it didn't deter her.

" Yuri... Answer me... Do you know who is Monika?" I didn't lift my gaze from the bed. There was a short silence, but she eventually shook her head from side to side.

" S-Sorry... That name doesn't ring a bell." She lets out a dissapointed sigh.

" Uh-huh... Call the nurse. Tell her I'm going home." I gave her the call button before yanking out the needle that connected me to the IV bag.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

It took a while. Three hours, perhaps? But we eventually made it out of the hospital. The hospital was adamant that I should stay and rest for at least another day. They insisted that my body might not have fully recovered and has a risk of breaking down. I told them that I'm fine, and I am needed in my household. Though they resisted at first, they eventually gave in to my demands and let me leave. But not after being lectured by some doctors about how lucky I am with my injuries. Yuri called a cab and we immediately made our way to my house. We didn't talked to each other along the way, frankly, we couldn't. There was a tense atmosphere around us as we neared my home. We couldn't help but feel our stomachs tie itself into knots as we approached. When we finally got off and paid the driver, we rushed inside the house. I noticed that the blinds and curtains were down, and a heavy air loomed over my house. We looked at each other and nodded. We took a deep breath, and dashed inside the house.

It was a mistake. We nearly fell into the hole in the middle of the walkway. Thankfully, we managed to stop inches from the edge. We peered into the narrow chasm, seeing a dim light in the bottom. The damn thing is probably about 20 meters underground, and I wasn't too happy knowing that I nearly fell to my death in my own house. My left eye is still wrapped in a bandage, so my sense of depth is kinda... meh. I turned to Yuri to tell her to grab the rope in the kitchen, only to find her climbing down the ladder that lead downwards. I sighed heavily, and followed after her. But, just as I was about to take my first step downward, we heard a bloodcurdling scream from the bottom.

" AAAHHHHHHH!!! WHAT THE FUUUUUUCCCCCKKKK???!!!!"

We immediately quickened our pace, that voice could only belong to one person.

" Natsuki!!! I'm coming! Hold on!" Yuri shouted as she quickly descended the ladder.


	57. Revelations

As we neared the bottom, Yuri jumped down from the ladder and she quickly run to aid Natsuki. I could feel my heart pound faster as I heard Yuri scream in fear. What kind of things lie within the confines of my basement to make her scream like that? A scream so loud and bloodcurdling, it made my hair stand on end. My grip on the ladder began to falter as my palms became sweatier. I quickly hurried downwards, the sound of Natsuki and Yuri screaming and shouting became clearer. But as I neared the bottom, I heard another sound that surprised me. I could vividly hear the sound of Sayori mischievously giggling and flailing something around. This is bad.

The moment I reached the bottom, I dashed towards them. My eyes were blinded by the surprisingly bright room before me. It was a stark contrast to the dark and damp ladder that lead here. The room is around 30x30x30 meters on all sides, forming a near perfect cube. The entire chamber is made out of dark granite and polished marble. The ceiling is packed with multiple colored lights that mimicked the natural color spectrum as much as possible. There are also multiple air vents around the huge room, continually circulating fresh air in this enclosed space. And the shelves! They're huuuuge! They are filled to the brim with mountains upon mountains of books. Though I could see that there are other items on the shelves like Artoria's Excalibur, the Infinity Gauntlet, Mjolnir and a few other neat knickknacks. But... What grabbed my attention is Natsuki and Yuri cowering in fear of... Sayori?

" _Muahahahaha!!!_ Behold! My weapon!" She pulled out a huge, pink dildo. The one from the game Saint's Row. She playfully swung it around near Natsuki's face.

" WHAT THE FUCK?! GET THAT AWAY FROM MEEEE~ AHHHH!" Natsuki screamed out in disgust before ducking quickly, avoiding the playful swing Sayori threw at her.

" Sayori! Please stop swinging that profane- Kyaaaahh!!!" Yuri let out a shriek as Sayori pointed the weapon at her face.

" _Kukuku_... This is a weapon, to surpass-"

" Sayori! Put that down!" I shouted sternly at her, like a parent scolding their child.

" Y-Yoku?! Wait! I can-"

" NOW! YURI!" Natsuki jumped up and restrained her while Yuri immediately grabbed the large sex toy and threw it away.

I walked up to the three and gave Sayori a soft slap on the wrist. She laughed it off and looked at me with an expression of enjoyment. Her sky blue eyes glimmer with joy at the sight of me, but she immediately frowned and winced at the bandages that covered most of my face.

" Y-Yoku! H-Hello! Uhh... What are you doing here?" Sayori tried to shift the focus away from her.

" No, no, no, no... The question is, why the hell are you swinging that thing around?!" I asked sternly, looking at her coldly with my right eye.

" Well... You see, uhh... We woke up here after Maido knocked us out and... well, I got bored-"

" Wait, Maido knocked you out?!" I cut Sayori off and looked at her with a concerned expression.

" Damn right! You know how fucking scary that is?! She kicked down the door to my room with a sack over her shoulder! She was standing there all menacingly and intimidating that I passed out due to the fright." Natsuki said in an irritated tone, shivering as she remembered the scene.

" Well, I can't have you panicking and running around while I searched the place." A stern, female voice said from behind one of the massive shelves.

" Welcome home, Yoku. Would you like some tea?" Maido appeared, walking onto our view, wheeling a tray with a tea set on it and strange apparatuses.

" My apologies, Natsuki, Sayori. I needed you to stay calm while I tried to find something. Besides, you're gonna need your wits with you after this revelation." Maido said with a smile on her face as she poured some tea into a cup.

" Maido, what's happening here? And where were you?!" I asked her. She looked around the room and sighed.

" I've been trying to find a special device. A device that would enable us to talk to... Akami-sama." Maido said, handing Yuri and I, a cup of fragrant, Oolong tea.

" Hmm? Couldn't you have just reached out to him with a cellphone?" Yuri asked inquisitively before sipping on the tea.

" No. But before I explain any further, Yoku... Try calling out to him." Maido said to me. I nodded and took a deep breath before shouting Akami-sama's name. We waited for a while, usually he would've responded by now through some sign but... nothing happened.

" It is as I feared. Now, Yoku, try remembering memories about Monika. Try to remember what you did during the festival." Maido said while she poured out tea for Sayori.

" Well, that's easy! Monika and I... Wait... huh?!" I paused for a moment. I can't believe it, I was shocked and horrified at the same time. No matter how hard I tried to remember...

I can't remember anything.

" Maido... I... I only remember what she looked like... Other than that... Nothing.," I knelt to the floor in utter shock. Natsuki rushed over to my side and placed a hand over my shoulder.

" Yoku... WHAT KIND OF BOYFRIEND FORGETS ABOUT HIS GIRLFRIEND?!" Natsuki shook me violently, her eyes filled with frustration.

" Look! I don't know about this girl, but she seems like a really important person to you! So-" Natsuki was interrupted by Maido's giggling.

" Ahaha... Do not fret, Natsuki. It is not his fault for forgetting about his most precious memories with her. In fact, you should be amazed he still remembers her. Even I don't remember her face, just the fact that there was another member to the club." Maido said to Natsuki while she took out the apparatuses.

" And... I believe, no... I know that Akami-sama can fix this mess." Maido said before taking out two beakers and mixing their contents together.

" Woah! Look! They're glowing!" Sayori pointed out at the two liquids. Maido poured the fluid into a tall machine. The top of the machine extended outwards, forming four beams that ended with large and metallic balls that protruded at the sides.

" What is that?" Yuri examined the contraption curiously.

" This... is a perpetual motion engine. It works by using the momentum of this large weights while they spin. It may sound simple, but it is not. They rely on this formula to work." Maido pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and laid it beside her. It only has three lines of Math, but there are countless symbols that I cannot comprehend written everywhere.

" But... Isn't that impossible?! You can neither create nor destroy energy, so how are you doing this?!" I asked in amazement as I watched the contraption whirr it's four beams around its central beam.

" Ahaha, you are wrong! This machine does not create energy! It harvests it. This liquid is a special one, impossible to recreate in this time period. You see, this liquid is made up of unstable particles, brimming with kinetic energy. This engine uses those particles and simultaneously heat and cool them to create energy." Maido explained while she hooked up some wires to the engine.

" This engine could power the entire world infinitely. Although, I doubt you'd be unable to contain the damage once this machine breaks down. You'd be facing an explosion as powerful as the Big Bang if you're not careful." Maido connected a device with a weird orb floating inside of it to the wires.

" Wah?! Why is such a thing hidden below Yoku's house?! Shouldn't we share it with the world?!" Sayori exclaimed before folding her arms.

" This technology is far too dangerous. Besides, I doubt it's creator would be fine with it." Maido said coldly.

" And what are we gonna use it for?" Natsuki asked curiously.

" We're just gonna use it to power this machine." Maido pointed to the contraption.

" What is it?" Sayori asked before leaning to get a better look.

" It's... Um... I forgot the name. Basically, it's like a spirit box." Maido said before flipping the switch on. The ball inside slowly revolved. But after a while, it accelerated quickly, spinning at a speed so fast it generated a dim glow.

" A spirit box?! Like the one they use to communicate with spirits?!" Yuri asked with an impressed tone

" Yes, but instead of switching through channels in an incredibly fast pace to create white noise, this thing would tear small holes through dimensions." Maido smiled as she connected a microphone to the machine. We all looked at each other in terror, speechless at what we just heard.

" Now, if that dimension has an incredibly powerful being, er, a god, should I say, it'd be able to reach out to us using the tear through dimensions. Ehem..." Maido cleared her throat before flipping another switch.

Suddenly, the ball inside spun even faster, emitting a bright blue glow. Then, the machine projected a rectangular screen, similar to a TV. We could only see static at first, but after Maido pressed a button on the microphone, the view changed to a bright and colorful world. It was a weird world, filled with alien terrain and large chess pieces in the distance. Then, a boy wearing a beret with a brim and yellow clover on top of it. His multi colored eyes and his red hoodie and chartreuse shirt instantly told me who he is.

" _Moshi moshi,_ Tet here! Who are you people?" The god of the anime, No Game No Life peered into the screen.

" Sorry, wrong number." Maido bowed politely before pressing another number and changing the channel. Natsuki and I were left speechless, knowing that Disboard is a place we could go to.

" Let's see... Let's try this." Maido murmured before changing into a new channel.

This time, the place was in modern day Japan. Suddenly, a young man in his 20's wearing a scarf and. black tracksuit showed up on the screen. He smiled introduced himself.

" Thank you for calling! Delivery God Yato, at your service!" His pleasant attitude reminded me of the retail workers in department stores. But I cannot hide my surprise to see Yato from Noragami infront of me.

" Oops, sorry! Wrong number!" Maido once again bowed politely before changing channels.

The next scene is in a Japanese school. A girl wearing a yellow ribbon appeared and stared at the screen with a confused look in her face. Her brown, shoulder length hair and brown eyes confirmed it. We're looking at Haruhi Suzumiya. Maido politely nodded once more and changed the channel. She looked at us with a smile on her face.

" This... May take a while. Why don't you go look at some of the items" Maido said before switching to a channel. I could see that Maido is looking at Aqua. I could hear her utter the word 'useless' under her breath before switching channels.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

Sayori and I wandered through the maze of shelves and books. Natsuki and Yuri split off from us a while ago. I looked to my side to see Sayori swinging Mjolnir around like some toy. In her other hand, she carried Excalibur, its blade emitting a golden hue. While we walked, I read the fabled Necronomicon. It has human skin for a cover, and it's pages made of skin as well. This arcane knowledge is far too dangerous to be read, yet here I am reading it. I let out a sigh before putting it away and turning to Sayori.

" Hey, how the hell can you even lift that thing?!" I asked her, pointing at Thor's hammer.

" Huh? It's surprisingly light. Here, try it!" Sayori took off the strap and placed the hammer down on the floor. I wrapped my fingers around the handle and I let out a grunt as I tried to lift the thing. After a few seconds, I gave up and let go.

" Ahaha! I'm stronger than you!" Sayori huffed out her chest as she lifted up Mjolnir without effort. I scoffed at her and folded my arms.

" Well, at least I'm smarter..." I teased. Sayori pouted and pointed Mjolnir at me.

" Heh, fool! I have the power of the go- aaarghh!!!" Sayori's arm suddenly gave way and the hammer came thundering down to the floor. Its impact let off sparks of lightning and destroyed a part of the floor.

" Aww... I'm not worthy anymore..." Sayori sighed and looked at me with an embarrassed smile.

" Ehehe, seems I got too full of myself. Anyways, I found this cup that never runs ou-"

" KYAAAAAAAHHH~!!!" Sayori and I looked over our shoulders. The scream is clearly from Yuri. We immediately run towards the source of the scream. After a while we finally found them, only to be met with a surprising sight.

" What the?!" I looked at Yuri. She was wearing a really skimpy piece of armor.

The armor is basically a metal bikini. It barely covered her chest, let alone her privates. I couldn't help but stare at her breasts. By my estimates, they look like E-cups, possibly bigger. Her bare legs were enticing, you can feel their softness just by looking at them. She moved in a bashful manner, trying her best to cover herself with her hands. Her eyes looked down at the floor, avoiding eye contact as much as possible.

" YOKU! Please! Don't look over here!" Yuri screamed out, covering her body using her arms.

" W-What happened?!" I asked her, covering my eyes as a polite gesture.

" I... Ah... I was... We were j-just walking by... when..."

" When this thing just suddenly jumps out and grabs Yuri!" Natsuki chimed, cutting Yuri off mid-sentence.

" Ugh, no! It was aiming for you! You damn- You used me to block it!!!" Yuri angrily glared at Natsuki.

" Well, at least it looks great on you." Natsuki smirked, further enraging Yuri.

" Why... You... Ahh!!!" Yuri covered her mouth, muffling her moans.

" Haaaah~! T-This thing! I-It's... Ah! It's getting tighter!" Yuri squeaked out before kneeling on all fours. She wore a pained yet pleasured expression.

" S-SOMEBODY GET THIS OFF ME!" She screamed out, clawing violently at the armor.

Then, as if on que, Maido arrived. She wore an irritated expression as she walked towards us. In her hands is a set of clothes and a small book. She gently placed the fresh change of clothes beside Yuri and opened the book. Its pages are filled with incredibly detailed logs and illustrations of different creatures. I was in awe, for before me is a book called a 'Bestiary'. It is a collection of data about various kinds of beasts and monsters. Maido found the pages about the living armor. She let out a frustrated grunt before closing the book. She raised her arm and pointed at the armor.

" _Dimittas._ " The armor shook violently at the mention of the word. Various tentacles appeared across the armor and writhed violently. Then, the armor stopped moving before dropping to the floor.

" Tch, this organism is a troublesome one." Maido muttered while picking up the pieces of the armor.

While Maido put away the living armor atop the shelves, Yuri ran off somewhere carrying the new set of clothes given to her. Sayori curiously poked at the living armor while Natsuki admired a magical girl's staff hanging on one of the shelves.

Maido cleared her throat before facing us. Her cold expression failed to hide her excitement due to the slight smile on her face.

" Akami-sama is waiting."

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

We rushed towards the area where we set up the device. On the projection is a familiar face. His soft smile, messy brown hair and the feeling of happiness he brought made us smile a bit. On the screen is Akami-sama, beaming brightly while waving at us cheerfully. He sat on his recliner, watching us while we formed a circle around the device. Once we settled down, Sayori and the others immediately voiced out their shock.

" W-What?! Wha— What the?! Huh?!" Sayori spewed out incoherent nonsense while pointing at Akami-sama. You could actually feel her brain melting.

" No way... I've been hanging out with a god..." Natsuki murmured out as she tried to swallow the pill that was given to her.

" Huh, so it _is_ you..." Yuri said in a surprisingly calm and collected tone.

" Wha?! How come you're not shocked by this news?!" Sayori pressed Yuri for an answer.

" Well... I've always felt that there was something... _off_ about him. Not just that, I've always had this feeling that we're being watched all the time." Yuri said calmly. After a moment of silence, Yuri's face turned red before she covered her chest and groins.

" Y-YOU KNOW... DON'T YOU?!" Yuri asked loudly with a tone of embarrassment.

" What? About the pen thing? Don't worry... Yoku already knew about it." At the mention of that incident, I felt my ears turn red. Yuri slowly turned her head towards me in disbelief, before burying it in her lap.

" Noooooooooo~!" Yuri shook her head in embarrassment.

" Hahahaha! Anyways, yeah! I'm a god! No need to be so shocked, Sayori." Akami-sama smiled at her.

" W-Wait... If you were a god... Couldn't you have just—"

" Changed your backstory? Sorry! My abilities are pretty limited when it comes to those things." Natsuki frowned at the god. Akami-sama pouted and sighed.

" Look, I would've changed it if I could. I felt sick knowing about what your father did to you... Really sick... But you wouldn't be 'Natsuki' if I changed your story." Akami-sama smiled sadly at her.

" I... I understand..." Natsuki said sadly.

" Now, regarding your problem. I've been trying to reach out to you, but I can't." Akami-sama looked at my direction.

" Huh? What do you mean?" I asked.

" This world was edited. It seems someone did her best to try and make it a normal world. By someone I mean—"

" Monika." I finished his sentence. I can't help but clench my fists in anger thinking about it.

" Yes. It seems she edited quite a lot. I don't know if the damage can be undone though; a few files are already corrupted; multiple logic contradictions can be detected; vast amounts of data are missing; just to name a few." Akami-sama said sadly.

" But... Why would she do this?" Sayori asked sadly.

" This..."Monika"... She seemed like a good person. I don't remember her, but if she was able to leave an impression on Yoku, she must've been an amazing person." Sayori said sweetly, clenching her chest as she did so.

" Well... Even I don't know her reasons. But let me just say, this is already way out of my control. It's amazing this universe is still alive. In her effort to make things normal and safe for Yoku, she inadvertently brought about the near destruction of this universe." Akami-sama said before munching on some chips.

" Wait, I'm the club president, right?" I turned to the girls behind me. They nodded at me with a confused look.

" Then, couldn't I just— Huh?" I tried to summon the command console, but it wouldn't appear.

" What does being the Club President relate to all this?!" Natsuki asked.

" Interesting... It seems she has nullified the powers that come with that position. Taking it with her when she deleted herself." Akami-sama muttered out, but he then let put a huge and dissapointed sigh.

" Doing things without knowing the consequences... Didn't she know that deleting the command console for the simulation is like deleting System32?!" Akami-sama shook his head in dismay.

" Hmmm... Perhaps there is a way to save this simulation." Akami-sama began typing furiously.

We sat there, admiring the god as he began to punch the numbers on the screen. Numbers far beyond our comprehension appeared on the screen, yet Akami-sama continued in crunching the numbers. He would nod and murmur from time to time. Finally, after a few minutes, he pushed away the numbers from the screen and smiled.

" Ahaha! The answer was right before my eyes the entire time!"

" What?! What is it?!" We all blurted out at the same time.

" Yoku! Maido! Tie those three up! Make sure it's really tight!" Akami-sama smiled at the three girls beside us.

" Huh?" They all looked at us with a worried expression.

" We're gonna crash the simulation!"


	58. Reset

" Eh?" Sayori squeaked out.

It has been 15 minutes since Akami-sama gave us that order. Natsuki is currently being pursued by Maido through the vast maze of shelves and books while I'm busy tying up Yuri. Her squirming made this uncomfortable for both of us. I wish she just stayed still like Sayori.

" Mmmmhmmm!" Yuri's muffled moans made my face red. It was a good call to cover her mouth with tape, who knows what kinds of noises she will make.

" Yoku... W-Will it hurt?" Sayori asked. Her worried expression made my heart ache.

" I... I don't know. I hope not." I replied to her with an empathetic smile while tying up Yuri's wrists.

" Mhm!!!" Yuri shook in pain. I let go of the rope in response. I didn't notice the wounds on her wrists.

" Sorry, Yuri... guess I won't tie up your hands too tightly. Is that okay?" I said to her while petting her head. She nodded at me.

I let out a sigh and took a step back. The strawberry-haired girl gave a weak smile at me. I wonder how this girl could still smile while her hands and feet are bound to a chair. Yuri on the other hand, seemed to enjoy this rough treatment. Her face is flushed red, she was also drenched in sweat. I wanted to ask her if she was enjoying this, but I rather not. I furrowed my eyebrows together, trying to make sense of the situation.

" Make sure to tie them up nicely! We don't want them clawing their eyes out in pain." Akami-sama said loudly

" Explain again why we need to 'crash' this simulation?" I asked him with an irritated tone.

" Well, you see—"

" Oof!" We all stopped to look at Maido. She placed Natsuki on a chair and bound her with some rope.

" Let me go! No! I don't like this! Yoku help me!" I can only give Natsuki a sympathetic smile while I turned a blind eye on her pleas.

" Now what?" Maido asked coldly. I could see she didn't like this thing either.

" Yoku... Tell them." Akami-sama's eyes narrowed at me.

I looked over to the girls and gritted my teeth. "What the hell do you mean?! Tell them what exactly?" I asked angrily.

" Tell them... about the nature of this world." He said in a regretful voice.

" Y-Yoku... what does he mean?" Sayori asked me, her voice quaking in fear.

" I... Well... " I hesitated.

" Do it Yoku. Tell them."

" W-What does he mean?!"

" Yoku tell us!"

I can't do it. I can't bear to do it. I can't imagine the pain it would cause them.

" Mmhhhm!"

" Yoku..."

" Hey idiot! Speak up already! This rope is really chafing me!"

Perhaps, there is another way. Any other way than this. "Akami-sama... Isn't there other ways than this?" I pleaded with him. But my pleas only fell on deaf ears. He looked at me coldly, his eyes only showed remorse yet they gave off a just-do-it look.

" If I could, I'd try other ways. Sorry." Akami-sama said in a sad and remorseful tone.

" It... must be done." Akami-sama pressed me to do it.

" Tell me first... What will happen to them?" I asked the god inside of the machine.

The god remained quiet for a moment. He had difficulties in trying to find the right words. His mouth would move and open, trying to form words to explain to me the situation. He would choke up on his words or fail to speak up entirely.

" What?! Tell us already! What will happen to them?!" I run towards the projection and knelt infront of it. Clasping my hands together, I begged to the god.

" Please... Just don't hurt them. They've been through enough..." The god remained silent however. His eyes darted to the side in guilt.

" I'm sorry... There's no other way. If they could just gain self-awareness, we could restart this world without ever losing them." I clenched my fists. I knew that if they became self-aware, they'll never recover from it.

" I... I can't... I can't let them feel the pain Monika felt. I can't have them experience that dreadful existential crisis Monika fought with for so long..."

" Yoku... Try to understand. I can no longer fix this world without deleting it. I want to at least keep the original versions of the girls." Akami-sama said sadly. I clenched my fist in frustration, for I know that he is right.

But still... there must be some other way.

" _Doki! Doki!_ " I heard the OST of the game from the screen. I turned to see the girl's sprites in the intro screen. I could feel their jaws drop to the floor.

" No... Nooo!!!" I shouted out to the god, but he paid no heed to my cries.

" Sorry Yoku, but you left me no choice." Akami-sama cleared his throat and showed the game to the others.

" Everyone, as painful as it sounds... your reality is a fake one." Akami-sama said coldly to the girls.

" As you can see, you three are just characters in a game." Akami-sama's voice is eerily cold. His expression is calm, too calm.

" No... No..." Sayori's eyes widened in horror.

" You're kidding! You're kidding! You're a god, you can make these kinds of things in an instant! Why should we trust you?! Natsuki snapped at the god.

" Fair enough. Your doubts about this thing is understandable, especially if I am the one who said it to you." Akami-sama's cold expression melted away to reveal a smug smile.

" Yoku here, however, will surely never lie about such a thing." I could feel everyone's gaze point at me in an instant.

I felt my guts tighten up into knots. My heart beats faster everytime I saw their reaction. An expression of betrayal. A painful betrayal. I shifted my focus towards the floor, trying to ignore their demands for me to explain to them what Akami-sama meant.

" Perhaps... this would help." Akami-sama clicked on the saves tab and loaded up a familiar yet haunting scene.

The morning of the festival.

" Don't do it! I beg you, please stop this! They don't need to know!" I cried out pathetically, clasping the sides of the machine in a futile effort to make him stop.

" Sayori, have you ever wondered how Yoku and Monika arrived just in time to stop you from taking your life? Well, I guess you don't remember Monika but nevertheless, Yoku was able to save you... right?" Akami-sama played the scene when the MC was talking to Monika on the morning of the festival.

 _"... You kinda left her hanging, you know?"_ I was about to dash for Sayori, only to be held down by Maido. She had a pained expression as well.

" Forgive me, Yoku." Maido muttered out to me.

Just then, the scene of the MC running towards Sayori's house transpired. I shouted to the girls to cover their eyes, but they didn't. Their sights were glued to the screen as it turned black. I could only watch helplessly as they fall victim to Sayori's jumpscare. They all winced and bowed their head quickly to avoid looking at the body of their fellow Doki. Tears fell down their cheeks as 'Sayo-nara' played in the background while Sayori's body in the game limply hang from the ceiling. Sayori however, did not shield her eyes from the gruesome fate that we saved her from. She was stunned and stupefied at the scene. Her sky-blue eyes filled with sadness and disbelief as the words of the MC appeared on the screen. She felt sorrowful, distraught and angered by this revelation.

I could see Sayori's look on her face as she watched the lines of the MC appear. It was pure betrayal and sadness. "I... I don't believe it! It's a lie! All a lie!!!" She finally closed her eyes to avoid looking at the CG any longer.

" How could you?! This isn't fucking funny anymore! I just want things to return to normal! Yoku! Make it stop!" Sayori cried to me, her voice quivering in anger and extreme sadness.

" Sayori! I'm sorry! But..." I now knew that I need to do the right thing. No matter how terrible it is.

"... It's true. It's all true. Everything! Everything this bastard just said is true! Every single thing he showed to us is damn true!" Tears flowed down my cheeks in a torrent. I could feel Sayori's heart break in this moment. She fell silent, her eyes showed me only anguish at my actions.

" I... No... I don't... I don't believe it..." Her voice was shaky. Tears fell from her face due to my words. She can only clench her fists and bite her lip to vent her emotions.

" Sayori... I'm sorry... But you need to believe the truth." Akami-sama said in a compassionate voice.

" No! No! No! It's not real! It's not real!" Her distraught voice echoed throughout the chamber. We could only watch helplessly while Sayori thrashed around the chair in a futile effort to escape.

" Yoku?! Why?! Why did you lie to me?! Why did you hide such things from me?! Why?! Why?! Why?!" Her cries brought wave after wave of sadness. I was drowning in a torrent of anguish as Sayori poured out her tears. Akami-sama let out a sigh and tried to calm her.

" Sayori... Please, just accept—"

" _**GET OUT OF MY HEAD! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! GET OUT OF MY HEAD**!!!_ AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

Sayori screamed at the top of her lungs. We watched in horror as her ropes began to unfasten. Her body twitched and contorted erratically. Our worries only worsened when countless glitches appeared around her. Her agonizing screams and pleas for help filled the air. For a split-second, I swore I saw her sprite when she committed suicide. Yuri fainted in her chair while Natsuki screamed out for Sayori. We turned to Akami-sama, who still wore a calm, but somewhat worried expression.

" WHAT HAPPENED?!" I pressed him for an answer.

" She has acknowledged the reality of this world, but she has not accepted it." His tone showed that he is worried.

" WHAT DO WE DO THEN?!" Natsuki pressed the god for an answer while she looked helplessly at Sayori.

" Yoku... Make her accept the truth! Make her face it head on!" His voice echoed through the chamber. His calm facade gave way to a worried and concerned look.

I took a deep breath, and ran towards her. I held out my arms in an effort to embrace her, only to be repelled and burned by the glitches. I took a moment to look at my hands, finding that they are now covered by smaller glitches as well. I gritted my teeth and steeled myself before diving headfirst for Sayori. It was painful, but I finally embraced her body within my arms. Her deafening screams slowly subsided, along with the glitches that surrounded her. Her cheeks were flushed red, her eyes are puffy and tears still rolled down her face. She didn't have the strength to return the hug, but she buried her face on my chest to cry.

" No... No... I don't like it... Make it stop..." Her soft cries were drowned out by her weeping.

" I'm really sorry. It's ugly, but it's the truth, Sayori. I'm sorry." I stroked her pink hair to calm her down.

" I... I... I know it's the truth... But I don't want to see it anymore. I don't want to believe that you failed to save me..." Her hands took hold of the sides of my shirt. She held on tightly, like she was afraid of being swept away.

" But Sayori..." I gently petted her head. She looked up at me, her eyes still wet with tears. I beamed brightly and said to her; "I didn't fail. You're here with now, right?"

Sayori burst into tears. It must be painful for the cinnamon bun; knowing that her entire world is just a fake one; that she and her friends are mere characters in a game; seeing what her fate should've been. This is really depressing for everyone right now. The little cinnamon bun slowly stopped crying, she must've calmed down now. Her sky-blue eyes gazed deeply into mine. She was still in pain, but now that much. A pained smile streaked across her face as she comes to terms with reality.

" I may not like the idea that my world is fake... But if Yoku tried his best to save me, then it's ok." She lets go of my embrace and turned her attention to the god.

" B-But you have a lot of explaining to do! M-Meanie!" She pointed a fearful finger at the god.

" That's a lot of nerve you got there. Standing up to a god is a crime punishable by death." Akami-sama said coldly at her. A collective gasp came from the girls while Sayori fell to her knees and covered her head.

" I-I'm sorry! I won't do it again, Akami-sensei!" She said in a fearful voice.

" Ahaha! Relax! I'm just teasing you! Don't worry, I'll explain everything to you later. But right now, we still need to make these two girls face—"

" Nah, I'm good. If you say it's real, then it's probably real." Natsuki chimed.

At that moment, Yuri managed to regain consciousness. It seems Maido and I did a flimsy job tying them uo since they easily undid the rope that held them down. Natsuki stepped forward to face the god.

" Although... I still need to know one thing before... Well... Uhh... What is the word I'm looking for?"

""Come to terms"? Is that it?" Yuri chimed in.

" Yeah, that's it! Thanks! Yeah, I just need to know what kind of game this is before I come to terms with this whole thing." Natsuki said, looking at her sprite in the loading screen.

" It's a dating game. Oh! And in this game, you're the tsundere. The cute and feisty tsundere that is also a closeted weeb." Akami-sama said teasingly.

" I... I see... _Did Yoku went for my route_?"

" You know, I'm not supposed to spread details about other people that would violate their privacy... But since you're my adopted daughter... _Yeah, he actually went for your route during his first playthrough._ "

" Thanks! Oh... and another one..."

The two giggled in unison. Whatever they're talking about, I hope it doesn't involve me. But I highly doubt that since I would get the occasional glances from Natsuki. After a while, they finally stopped talking and Natsuki skipped over to my side. She had a mischievous grin in her face as she stood beside me.

" _Hehehehe..._ Wait till Sayori hears about what you've been searching on the internet. I'm surprised you still haven't pounced on her..." I was baffled by her at first, only to realize what just happened.

" No! I... I was just curious!" I shook my head in denial.

" Yeah you are... Why don't you just ask her about it right now?" She had a sly grin on her face as she slowly walked towards Sayori.

" Oh Sayo— Mhm!" I muffled her mouth and shook her lightly.

" Don't! If you tell her... Uh... I... I won't buy you the... Parfait Girls manga! I'll buy you the next 10 volumes, is that okay?" She paused for a moment before giving me a nod. Once I let go, she flashed me a smug smile.

Then, I heard it. Poem Panic is playing in the background. I turned to Yuri, only to find her watching her fight with Monika and Natsuki. I recognize this part. It's the fight just before Yuri confesses to me. We watched in silence as Yuri watched the scene with an expressionless face. I could see that she is trying her best to take in the whole thing. Her violet eyes remained glued to the screen while she read the dialogue between Natsuki and her.

" _It's true..._ _I_ _always wanted to say those things... But I couldn't._ " She murmured to herself while she watched the scene.

" Yuri... Don't... Don't take it too heart. It's not like you meant to say those things... right?" I said while I walked up to her. She gave me a slight nod before continuing to watch the scene.

" This... This is horrible... Sure, I wanted to say those things... B-But not like this!" Watching her fight with Natsuki must've made her feel horrible. She turned to Natsuki, who is also watching the fight.

" Wow... I never knew I'd be fighting with Yuri like this." Natsuki said out loud.

"..." Yuri rolled a strand of her hair between her fingers and looked sideways.

" I'm... I'm sorry..." She murmured out.

" It's... It's okay... I guess? Well, at least we didn't fight lik— What the fuck?!" Natsuki stared in bewilderment at the screen. We looked up to see Yuri's poem being shown to the player.

" Ah! H-How?! I... I threw that away! Y-You already knew about that?! Yoku?!" Yuri's face turned red in embarrassment.

" D-Don't look!!!" Yuri shouted at Natsuki and Sayori. They covered their eyes in fear of the purple-haired girl.

" Y-Yoku! H-How much do you know about this?!" Yuri said bashfully. I pointed to the screen in response. She turned to read the words.

" _I pleasure myself with..._ Kyaaah!!! Noo!!! No! No! I... I... Ah... Yoku!!!" I was caught off guard when Yuri leapt towards me. Her face was red and flushed with sweat. She grabbed my face and took hold of it with great force.

" What the hell are you doing?!" Natsuki shouted as she and Sayori run towards her.

" I... I'm going to bash his head against the floor!" She yelled in response.

" What?! No! Why would you do that to me?!" I shouted out, trying my best to break free from her grasp.

" So you can get amnesia and forget about this! So... hold... still!" She tried her best slam my head against the floor, only to be jumped at by Natsuki.

The moment her grasp loosened, I jumped back and took a big wheeze. For a moment, I thought I was gonna fucking die.

" Look...*pant*... I don't mind...*pant*... That you did that to my pen. Besides, that's not the thing I found troublesome. That is." I pointed to the screen.

In front of us played Yuri's confession scene. The moment the cursor clicked 'no', I let out a sigh and watched as Yuri stabbed herself with a knife. Everyone's eyes widened as we saw the horrible scenes that followed. We stared at Yuri's lifeless body, the color of her eyes fading away as the days went by. I let out a sigh and scratched my head.

" I... I think I'm gonna be sick..." Natsuki said, covering her mouth.

" Y-Yoku... You've been... You've been working hard, haven't you?" Sayori said as she stepped beside me.

" No wonder you're always deep in thought. You've been thinking of ways to prevent all this..." She said with a smile on her face.

" Yeah... Thankfully, Yuri didn't give me any problems this time." I said to her. I shrugged at the thought of my past attempts.

" I see... So all this time, you've been trying to prevent.. 'that' from happening to me." Yuri said, before pushing Natsuki off of her.

" I've given you so much trouble, haven't I? You went out of your way to help me... I'm sorry..." Yuri bowed her head in shame.

" Ahaha, don't beat yourself up over it, it's not that big a deal. It's not like you killed me or anything!(Well, you did kill me two times.) Besides, you're my friend. I can't let that kind of thing to happen to a friend." I said to her warmly.

" Yoku..." She placed a hand on my cheek and slowly leaned forward.

" Ehem! I think we're all forgetting something here." Akami-sama grinned at us widely. Yuri jumped back in fright, while Natsuki and Sayori watch in amusement.

" Yoku... I thought you already have—"

" Shut it, Natsuki. Anyways, what happens now? Shouldn't they be aware of everything and be able to use the command console?" I asked the god. His response is a mere shrug and a sigh.

" Well, you see... They didn't gain self-awareness through the Club President title. So basically, they just know that this reality is a fake one, but not the whole story. Which, if I am correct, would cause severe logic errors in the simulation's code." Akami-sama then lifted his wrist and took a look at his watch.

" Oh, and you guys... You better be prepared for a lot of pain... riiiiiiiight... now."

I felt a throb resonate throughout my body, followed by a burning sensation that reverberated across my body. I felt like I was swimming in a pool of fire ants. An intense pain shot through my whole body, so intense that it felt like my skin was melting off. Due to this, I fell to the ground and began vomiting. I felt nauseous and dizzy, I also experienced the sensation of vertigo. I looked up to see that the entire room is spinning and shaking. I tried to stand up, only to experience a great pain in my legs. It felt like my bones shattered into pieces. Then, I felt the wound on my left eye open up and spill blood.

" W-What's... Happening?!" I shouted to the god.

" Suck it up, will ya? It's just a little pain. It'll be over in a moment. You're just experiencing the simulation collapsing. Although... I want you to check up on the girls over there." Akami-sama pointed towards the curled up bodies of the three Dokis.

" AAAAAARRRGHHHHHH!!! AAARGHH!!!" Yuri howled in pain, her wounds opened up and is now spilling out blood.

" Y-Yoku... Hmph! _*Bleeergh*"_ Sayori was now on all fours and vomiting blood.

Natsuki isn't moving anymore, but her body is still experiencing numerous convulsions all at once. Her pink eyes are now empty and hollow. It seems she has already passed out due to the pain. Her skirt is now wet, and she lie in a puddle of her vomit.

" G-Gah!!! Damn it!!!" I screamed out, trying my best to crawl towards them.

" Akami-sama!!! How long will this last?!" I shouted, turning towards the screen.

" Hmmm... About 10 more seconds. Oh, by the way... the pain will grow more intense." He said nonchalantly.

Suddenly, the room was filled with the agonized screams of the three Dokis. Sayori's eyes began to bleed as well while Yuri began to claw at her skin in pain. Natsuki began shake her head while covering her ears. I could feel the pain worsening as well. It felt like my head is being torn apart while my body melts. In desperation, I closed my eyes and counted down from ten.

" Ten..."

I felt my eardrums rupture at the high pitched screaming of the girls.

" Nine..."

Yuri took out her knife from her pocket and began to cut herself.

" Eight..."

Sayori let out an ear piercing shriek before collapsing on the floor and shaking violently with her mouth frothing.

" Seven..."

I heard Natsuki pleading to make the pain stop, before I heard her vomit blood across the floor.

" Six..."

Yuri stood up, her legs quaking terribly as she ran towards the machine. She began to violently stab it, screaming to make the pain go away.

" Five..."

Then, I felt the room shake violently. It was as if an earthquake just struck. Pieces of the ceiling fell near us while the walls began to crack.

" Four..."

I looked in horror as I saw my hands disintegrate into nothing but numbers. I looked around to see that the falling debris become numbers and glitches. Vast amounts of the room collapsed, only to reveal a black space and countless, changing numerals.

" Three..."

Now, reality itself began to collapse. Cracks and spaces appeared in the air, and the scenery began to shatter like glass. I could no longer hear their terrified screams. Everything has fallen silent and dark.

" Two..."

I could feel my body dissolve into nothingness. I couldn't see anything anymore. I couldn't even feel my skin, or my heart beat. Everything has fallen dark and silent.

" One.."

Then, I saw a bright light emerge in front of me. The light began to form a message. Reaching out to it, I could now see the message clearly.

 ** _The simulation as encountered an error and must be terminated. :(_**

 **D LC : ur eal tyyyyyyyyyyyyy**


	59. Repairing the Damages

I reached for the message, only to be yanked backwards. It was like someone pulled me backwards with a strong force. Then, I was blinded by an extremely bright light while surrounded by familiar voices. I gathered the last of my strength to open my eyes. I was met by five familiar and comforting faces. Pink,

coral-pink, violet, gold and brown, this colorful heads filled my vision as I slowly woke up from my nightmare. I looked around to see where the hell am I; it was white everywhere; an empty space with only a recliner; floating screens that now broadcasted static; I saw that I was back in Limbo, Akami-sama's plain of existence. Except, in the distance I can see a large, black cube.

" Look! He's waking up!" I heard a familiar and cheerful voice that made me feel a little bit better. It was Sayori, smiling brightly at me.

" Ugh... What... happened?" I muttered out, holding my head in my hands due to the throbbing pain I felt.

" Oh! I can explain. You see Yoku, when the simulation crashed, I took the character files and brought them here... along with my room." Akami-sama pointed at what used to be my basement.

" Ah... I see... Argh! My head!" I let out a grunt before stumbling forward.

" Y-Yoku! Are you alright?!" Sayori rushed to my side before helping me stagger on my feet.

" Y-Yeah, more or less... Wait a minute, how the hell are you guys fine?!" I asked them. I couldn't help but stare in disbelief. A little while earlier, they were all literally being teared apart by the universe and now they're standing in front of me like nothing happened.

" Oh... Well, Akami-san here gave us the medical attention we needed as soon as we arrived here." Yuri chimed in, bringing out some pills.

" T-This may help." Yuri handed me some aspirin and Akami-sama materialized a glass of water beside me.

" Oh wait! I nearly forgot! Your injuries! Ahaha! Hold on, hold on..." Akami-sama pulls out his command console and takes a look at me.

" Let's see, let's see... Left eye... chest area... Here we go." At the click of a button, I felt the wounds and burns all over my body disappear. It felt amazing as I unwrapped the bandages that covered the left side of my face.

I felt a gush of relief the moment I opened my left eye. " Ah! It's nice to finally have some depth again." I exclaimed, taking a look around the place.

" Ahaha! You know, it wasn't as easy when it came to this three." Akami-sama pointed to the three Dokis behind him.

" Especially you, Yuri." Yuri let out a meek 'Eep' as Akami-sama singled her out.

" You have such beautiful, pale skin! How dare you ruin it with your habits! You know how difficult it is to code such a texture?!" Suddenly, Akami-sama teleported beside Yuri and took hold of her arm.

" Ah! W-What are you doing?!" Yuri squeaked out in surprise.

" See this? Tons of women would be jealous of such soft and smooth skin." Akami-sama said while he rubbed Yuri's arm. I could see that her numerous scars and cuts are now gone, and that she is getting uncomfortable at Akami-sama's intimacy.

Suddenly, Yuri took hold of Akami-sama's arm, pivoted her foot quickly and flipping him over. " P-Pervert! M-Molester!" Yuri accused him while pinning his face to the ground.

" Hmph!" Akami-sama snapped his finger, and he is now standing beside me. Yuri was surprised to find that the god is no longer being pinned down underneath her.

" Anyways, how are guys doing? Does anything hurt? Does anything feel funny at all?" He asked the girls, closely inspecting them for any signs of physical trauma.

" N-No, we're fine... And we'd appreciate it if you could keep your hands to yourself, you perverted geezer." Natsuki said in disgust, taking a step back while glaring at him.

" Oh, don't be like that my dear daughter!" Akami-sama took a step forward and knelt down in front of her. Natsuki's face turned red as Akami-sama looked up at her.

" Sorry I had to leave you behind... I'm really sorry. If you want, I could give you any manga you want." He smiled warmly, taking hold of her hand.

" Ah!" Natsuki was startled by this gesture, causing her to pull back her hand.

" Geez! Don't do that! Besides! You're just my step dad!" Natsuki hissed out.

" Hehehe... It's always nice to tease you. Anyways, as you can see Yoku, I've done my best to heal the injuries they sustained. Although... I didn't really touch on the psychological effects of such a traumatic event." Akami-sama looked at the girls in concern.

" Hmm... I still feel a bit down after all of... that. But I'm fine. I'm a little sad and afraid, but I'm fine! Ehehe!" Sayori said with a cheerful tone.

" That may have been the most intense pain I've felt in my life, but I'm doing well..." Yuri said with a smile.

" Well... to be honest, it wasn't really that traumatizing. But it was really painful." Natsuki said in a calm tone.

" You do know that you pissed yourself when that thing happened, right?" I said to her teasingly. Her face turned a bright shade of red as she looked at me in horror. Before I could laugh however, a shoe came flying at me at high speeds.

" Natsuki! Rude! If it wasn't for the fact that no one could die here, I'd be scolding you harshly right now!" Akami-sama said in a stern voice.

" H-He deserved it!" Natsuki said in a quaking voice.

" I'm boooooored~!" Sayori butted in.

" Hmm? Oh, sorry Sayori. Hold on a sec, let me just finish up my talk with Yoku here." Akami-sama said to Sayori.

" Anyway, we digress. Well, I hope you're feeling fine Yoku." He said to me while he typed something in his console.

" Hmm? Why?" I asked him curiously.

" Huh? Oh right, I didn't explain it to you... I'm deleting you."

" Oh oka— WHAT?!"

" I'm deleting you."

" HUH?!" Our jaws dropped to the floor at his statement.

" Yoku! Akami-sama why?!" Sayori run between me and the god and spread her arms to shield me.

" Don't worry! He needs to be deleted. You want to fetch Monika, right?" He asked warmly. I gave a halfhearted nod in response.

" I see that you're scared. Don't worry, it won't hurt this time." He said before grinning from ear to ear.

" Maybe..."

" Fuck. Fuck it, let's just get this over with." I said before closing my eyes before waiting for what's gonna happen next.

" H-Hold on! If our world is destroyed... Then how will he find this 'Monika'?" Sayori asked the god. Doubt can be sensed from her words while her face showed a distrustful expression.

" How do I explain this to you... Uh... Think of the place Yoku is going as a separate world." Akami-sama said with a warm smile.

" So, like the Recycle Bin?" Yuri asked inquisitively.

" Precisely! Ahaha, that kid... doesn't she know? You need administrator privileges to permanently delete yourself and recover items. But since she is a living entity, I also need her permission to bring her out of there." Akami-sama said with a sad smile on his face.

" Yoku, give me the thumbs up when you're ready." He said before pulling up another window.

" While you're there, I'll take the time to go recreate your universe with the girls." He said calmly. I could see that this got the girls' attention

" W-we're gonna see a god in action!" Sayori said in an excited tone.

" I'm ready when you—" The damn god didn't even let me finish my sentence. In an instant, I was zapped off into some dark void with a glowing door in the middle of it.

D LC: O r R ality

" Oh wow! The damage is pretty bad, huh? Let me fix this." Akami-sama said to himself before typing furiously into his console.

DDLC: Our Reality

" There we go!" Akami-sama said with a proud smile on his face.

" What exactly did you fix?" Maido asked the god curiously.

" Just some technical stuff, nothing to worry about." He replied.

" Wow! So this is how a god makes worlds!" She said with an amazed tone. Sayori was in awe at the scene before her.

A man in his late 20's lounging in a green recliner with bottles of soda and mountains of chips beside him while he held some sort of keyboard in front of him. In front of him floated various screens, showing nothing but static.

" Doesn't really... Well... It's not what I expected..." Natsuki said as she kicked an empty bag of chips aside.

" I... I was expecting some sort of... well, Old Testament-like events." Yuri said as she took a surveyed the area around the god.

"And I also expected that a god lived in some sort of magnificent palace... Not a pigsty..." Yuri muttered out as she avoided the empty bottles lying around the place.

" Heh, it's not about looks, it's about functionality." Akami-sama said before throwing an empty bottle of soda towards a large mound of wrappers. The empty bags of chips and candies went flying everywhere while sending a can of coke flying towards the the god. He caught it mid air and immediately drank from it.

" Woah! Awesome!" Said Sayori as she stared at the god in awe.

" Disgusting." Maido said under her breath before taking a broom from somewhere. She began sweeping the clutter away while Akami-sama continued typing on his keyboard.

" So you're gonna build a world, huh? How you gonna do it? Are you gonna draw it? Are you gonna paint it like some manga or painting and it will become real?! Are you gonna draw vast, green fields and beautiful, glowing cities?!" Natsuki asked excitedly. Though, her excitement was short lived when Yuri looked at her with a dissapointed expression.

" World building isn't just literally painting a picture! Proper world building is the type you'll find in complex novels! You have to add the lore and story about the events that lead up to the current setting. You also have to detail the laws and rules of the world carefully, lest you want the readers to be—"

" Ugh!!! Why do you always spoil the fun? How the hell can you capture the beautiful scenery of the world with words?" Natsuki interrupted Yuri. She wore an irritated and annoyed expression.

" Well, answer me this; how could you appreciate the lack of imagination manga provides? The beauty of literature lies in the ability of readers to imagine and picture the scenery being described to them. Manga and the like fails to do that by—"

" Okay, that's enough! You two are both wrong. I don't build worlds by following those principles! I build worlds by following MY way." Akami-sama eased up the tension between the two Dokis by enlarging the window to a degree that it nearly encompassed them all.

" Tch, when I create a universe... I don't go and follow the same rules or methodology they use in novels or manga! You're not drawing the world or telling it's story from the beginning... That's just a part of it." Akami-sama said before snapping his fingers. In an instant, a small, blue and transparent orb appeared before him.

" What I'd like to do is play it like it was game! Ahaha! It's like playing a more advanced version of Civilization or Sims or some other simulation game." Akami-sama smiled brightly as he loaded up what seemed to be like a small version of Earth.

" Wait, wait, wait, wait! What do you mean by 'play'?! Are you actually gonna play with actual people's lives?!" Natsuki asked angrily, appalled by the god's actions.

" Hmm? Yeah, why?" He spoke nonchalantly, as if he wasn't violating the concept of freewill.

" T-This is wrong! How could you do such a thing?!" Yuri lashed out at the god.

" What do you mean?" Akami-sama asked innocently.

" I'm talking about this! This is... unethical! How could you say that our world and the people living in it is just a game?! Do you really see everything like that?! A game?!" Yuri pointed at the model of the Earth in front of them. She spoke out in opposition of Akami-sama's ways.

He paused for a moment, taking a good look at the model. He pondered about how to explain this to the girls. Yuri and Natsuki had a valid point, but so did he. Even if he is some god, who is he to manipulate the fate of the universe he doesn't even own? Thinking about this, he lets out a soft chuckle. In Doki Doki, no matter who you choose, all will come down to either you achieving the 'Good' ending or the 'Bad' ending.

" Heh, you're right... That was a poor choice of words from me." Akami-sama said regretfully.

" But... No matter what you say, the two of you cannot comprehend the nature of this task. No matter how unethical it may seem, or how pleasant, it is all needed in the grand scheme of things." Suddenly, the air around Akami-sama seemed to tense up as he took on a more serious appearance. His expression was calm yet chillingly cold while his eyes showed only a frightening stare.

" Besides, who are you to impede the work of a god? Do you really think beings like me follow the same set of morals and norms like you people? I have caused genocides that have wiped out entire worlds just to create new civilizations destined for greater things. I have brought forth countless golden ages throughout my realms with a simple snap of my fingers. Now tell me..."

The two girls quaked in their shoes as the now serious and terrifying god loomed over them. His eyes now stared at them coldly while the smile he always wore completely disappeared, replaced by a slight frown.

" You want to take charge of this project?" In an instant, the heavy air around them dissipated and gave way to a lighter and relieving feeling. Akami-sama smiled brightly before breaking out into hysterical laughter.

" Ahahaha! You two should've seen your faces! Ahahaha!" He wheezed while pointing at the purple-haired girl and her friend. They were both shaking in fear at what just happened.

" H-Huh?" That was all Natsuki can muster up to say.

" You're right, I shouldn't treat your world as a game. So for that, I'll give the three of you the task on rebuilding your world. Besides... you guys are the ones that knows it the be—"

Boom

A large explosion rocked the model while numerous mushroom clouds appeared all over the globe. Sayori mean while, stood beside it with a nervous smile on her face.

" Oops. Ehehe..." She chuckled with a guilty smile.

" What did you do?" Natsuki asked her.

" Well, I just... I accidentally crashed a plane over Russia." She pointed at the model. Though, Russia's name was replaced by the U.S.S.R.

" You crashed a spy plane during the height of the Cold War... *sigh* Let me load up a blank slate and let's begin from the top." Akami-sama said before sighing loudly.

DDLC: Our Reality

After an hour of watching the god code and debug, he finally loaded up his creation. Not much has changed, except for the fact that a majority of the world has now been influenced by Japanese culture. He had a proud and wide smile on his face as the textures rendered on the model. Although the rendered textures is super realistic, not a single soul or animal can be seen walking around.

" I can't really place a finger on where you guys are from. You follow Japanese culture and names, but you guys are just too westernized to be Japanese." Akami-sama said as he took a look at the girls.

" So I decided to use the Big Hero 6 template. I just took out the advanced technology they possess and viola! A Western city heavily influenced by Japanese culture." He smiled and zoomed in on the city.

" Huh, it looks just like our old city... except larger." Natsuki remarked.

" Hmm... I-Is it just me or is the library larger?" Sayori pointed out the structure. The library is now five storeys tall, takes up at least four blocks and far more magnificent.

" Y-Yeah... I asked for it..." Yuri murmured out softly.

" Heh, you guys had fun. Anyway—"

" Akami-sama! You promised me that you'll tell stories about your travels!" Sayori pouted and stared at the god.

" Hmm... but I still have to work on the laws of physics and the lifeforms... Eh, what the heck. What do you wanna hear about? The beautiful city of Kyoto? The mesmerizing waters of El Nido and Coron? The awe-inspiring cathedrals of Europe like Saint Peter's Basilica or that of—"

" No, we'd like to hear about your travels throughout the other worlds!" Sayori exclaimed, twirling her body with her hands outstretched.

" Hmm... Well, okay. Sit down, it's gonna be a long story!" Akami-sama is clearly excited.

As soon as they all settled down, Akami-sama would project his stories in front of him as he spoke. He told stories about the numerous worlds he has visited, the countless enemies he have battled and the colorful cast of characters that he made friends with along the way. He spoke of great battles between him and various pantheons, including that of the Norse and Greeks. He told stories about witnessing heroes battle it out for an item called the Holy Grail that is said to grant the wishes of the victor. He was ecstatic at the memory of him nearly beating Tet, the god of play, in a game of chess. He laughed at the thought that he once nearly started the events of Ragnarok and the biblical apocalypse. As his stories dragged on, Sayori can't help but think to herself;

Just who is Akami-sama?

" Akami-sama... I have a question." Said Sayori, her eyes fixated at the being before her.

" Yes?"

" Akami-sama... that's not your real name, right?"

The god was taken aback by this question. No one has ever asked him that. Not a single soul. As he pondered on how to answer this question, Sayori's eyes remained transfixed at him. He furrowed his brows together and went into deep thinking.

" What kind of person forgets their name?!" Natsuki let out a confused groan.

" Well, it doesn't help if I was just born into this whole thing!" Akami-sama said in a calm yet serious tone.

" Look, when I became a god, I didn't have memories about... how I became one. All I know is that I have something important to do."

" And that is?" Yuri asked him.

" I... I made a promise to save someone. I don't remember who it is, but I'm sure I'll find that person if I just kept searching." Akami-sama said sadly. His eyes now showed hints of pure sadness.

" Oh... Sorry... Well, I hope you find that person soon!" Sayori smiled cheerfully, patting the god on his back.

" Thanks, Sayori. Anyways, lets get back to making your world. I believe it's time to add people. For that, I need Yuri to create some backstory for the world while Sayori and Natsuki help me on the people." Akami-sama said before bringing up the model of the Earth once more.

DDLC: Our Reality

After a long and tedious three hours, they've done it. Yuri did a good job on the history of the world. She just had to edit the parts around the 2000's. She just added some sort of event where the world suddenly craved for Japanese architecture and culture. Overall, not much has changed from the timeline. Sayori and Natsuki had fun too in their tasks. They enjoyed creating different kinds of personalities for people. Thankfully, they didn't have to go through all 7 billion people. Akami-sama gave up halfway through and just used the auto create option. But still, he can't help but feel sorry for the people that will receive the traits created by Natsuki. They can't help but love cats, but be allergic to them. He bowed his head and said sorry.

" Anyways, we're nearly done! I just need to touch up on the laws and forces that will govern this world and we're done! Why don't we take a break first." Akami-sama was about to take a seat when an idea came to him. He turned to the girls and smiled widely.

" Hey, I know... Why don't we fight each other?" Akami-sama said, his eyes shone with excitement.

" Huh?! How the hell could we defeat a god?!" Natsuki retorted.

" Don't worry. You have Yoku's basement over there. I'll give you two minutes to pick your weapons. Oh, we could also go all out since no one can die here." Natsuki and Yuri hesitated at the god's offer. But before they can voice their doubts about this, they heard Sayori dash towards the structure.

" Ahaha! The game starts now! Whoever wins would owe the victor a favor that they can't refuse." Akami-sama laughed menacingly as he flew upwards. With that, Natsuki and Yuri run towards the structure while they complained about how idiotic this is.

Akami-sama waited for a while. After two minutes however, he heard an explosion occur from the inside. But before he could fly over and investigate, he was hit on his abdomen with something hard. But before he could grab the object however, it flew back. There was no mistaking it; those runes; that handle; the lightning. It was Mjolnir.

" Hehehe, I see that you are worthy..." Akami-sama said loudly. A figure caught hold of the mighty hammer. She flew upwards to a height equal to that of Akami-sama's. Lightning arched all over her body as she began to swing the hammer.

" I can't believe that the sweet and gentle Sayori could've thrown that hammer." He smiled as he looked at Sayori. Suddenly, she tightened her grip on the hammer and swung it but didn't let go. A powerful bolt of lightning shot through the air, only to be blocked by Akami-sama's palm.

" Come on now, is that the be—" Akami-sama was cut off when a powerful laser shot him. He smiled, turning to face the figure behind him. She wore a skimpy sailor's uniform that had a pink color scheme.

" Hello there, Magical Girl Natsuki!" He teased as he looked at his opponent.

" S-Shut up! I-I didn't expect it to be this revealing!" Natsuki shouted back at him as she tried to cover her body. The uniform had a really exposing midriff and a really short skirt.

" Ahaha! Well, at least it looks good on—" He was cut off when he felt a surge of magical energy accumulate in the distance.

" Ex..." Yuri wore the blue and silver armor Saber wears during fights. Akami-sama smiled as he noticed that the two are also charging for an attack.

"... CALIBUR" With that shout, Akami-sama was assaulted by a bright golden light from the back, lightning and a hammer from one side and a blast of pink energy from the other.

A huge explosion occurred, shaking the entire place. But, to their horror, Akami-sama merely shrugged off the hit.

" Heh, not even close! Hit me with something bet— ARGH!" Sayori threw another weapon at the god. It was the god-killing weapon known as the Asi.

" Hah! I've got a hit in!" Sayori smiled proudly.

" Ahaha! You fool! Tis' but a flesh wou— Gah!" Akami-sama was once again pierced by a weapon. It was a massive sword known as Gram, the one wielded by Sigurd when slaying the dragon Fafnir.

" Hah! I can't even feel— Oof!" Akami-sama was decapitated by a mighty, chained weapon. As his head fell to the ground, the weapons known as the Blades of Chaos returned to Yuri.

With this, they each returned their weapons and went back to their original clothes. They approached the body of Akami-sama, who is fumbling around trying to find its head. Akami-sama's head however, was rolling around and calling for his body.

" Here boy! Here! Come on! Just a few feet to the right! Oh there you are! Girls, could you—"

" Uhh... could you do us a favor and do it yourself? Ahaha! Bye!" Natsuki said in snarky tone before leaving Akami-sama.

" Wait. N-No! Come back! Damn it!"

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

As Akami-sama finished coding in the laws of gravity, he can't help but feel a strange sense of Deja Vu. Having fun with girls reminded him of a time long ago, one that has faded from his memory. It was like, he did this sort of thing before with them. He shook his head. He can't believe it, he refused to believe it. He couldn't have played Doki Doki in the past, right? He was deeply troubled by this. Though possible, he knew that if he did came from a universe that is connected to any DDLC events, that would only mean that something went wrong there. He shook his head to try and forget this kinds of thoughts. He let out a sigh as he pulled up a monitor. He tuned in on a channel and the static that filled the screen was replaced by a scene so horrifying it would equal to that of Yoku's torture. He watched as a boy was horribly tortured by Yuri within the confines of her basement.

" Poor Monty..." Akami-sama murmured as he continued to watch.

Just then, he heard a collective gasp from behind him. He turned his head to find the three girls standing there with their jaws hanging ajar.

" T-that's my basement! And me!" Yuri pointed a horrified finger at herself, who was busy mutilating the boy.

" A-And that's the manga I lent you! What the fuck, Yuri?!" Natsuki was equally horrified at the scene.

" Relax! It's not you... Well, it's not _'you'_ you, but a you from another world." Akami-sama said nonchalantly.

" B-But still! That's horrible!" Sayori exclaimed.

" Yeah, well, the god of that world chose to portray Yuri like that. Anyways, what he does here is amazing." Akami-sama pointed to the scene where Monty is reaching for the table where Natsuki's manga is placed. Once the manga is within his hands, he began to write a bloody message on it.

" W-What the hell is he doing?!" Natsuki let out a shriek as blood began to pour from the boy's wrist.

" If it's too gruesome for you, here. A more... wholesome one." Akami-sama switched the channel on his monitor to that of a fight scene.

" I-Isn't that the school campus?" Sayori pointed out as two figures began to fight.

" Y-Yeah... Oh! Nice hit, Blank!" Akami-sama jumped from his seat as he roots for the boy. The boy was locked in combat with a woman wearing a black armor clad in gold.

" Oh no! Get up, Blank!" Akami-sama was now on the edge of his seat as the battle raged on. But in the heat of the battle, Akami-sama failed to notice that Sayori was now standing beside him.

Sayori paused for a moment, hesitating as she tugged on the god's sleeves.

" Akami-sama... D-Did you play our game before?"

Everything came to a complete silence as Akami-sama turned off the monitor. He paused for a moment, before stroking his chin. He was hesitant to speak. He expressed a polite smile as he turned his head towards her.

" W-What makes you say that?"

" Because... Because you seem like you had fond memories about this game everytime you look at us." Sayori answered with an innocent smile.

Akami-sama can only muster a simple smile as he answered back. " Perhaps... Maybe I did play this game before... Although I've forgotten all about it already." He said in a calm tone, hiding the fact that he is now hurting inside.

" Anyways, Yoku is about to finish up. Let's go finish up as well." He said before standing up and stretching his arms.

He can't help but feel a weight on his chest. The crushing weight of regret.

It's not that he doesn't remember his past life... He just couldn't access them.

But _does_ he want to know the answer?

He stopped for a second. He smiled in content as thought about his best creation. He was about to fulfill the wish of a boy who wanted a happy ending for the people he loves. He can't help but smile and laugh at the thought the he was probably someone just like him. As he looked back at his memories, he let out a frown as he can't remember anything from before he was a god.

" _But... What if..._ " Akami-sama muttered out. Suddenly, without warning, he dashed towards his monitor. Every one chalked this up to him plunging himself to work on their world.

He began to type furiously. He was going through files quickly. He was trying to find something important. Then, he found it.

 _Encrypted Files/God_ /Akami

He smiled widely. He knew he couldn't just hack this. But he had a plan. A bold plan. If he couldn't access the file using his computer...he'll just access it using his mind. The madman is gonna jam files into his brain so that he can see what's inside them. After all, if the universe is a super computer, then the mind of a god is a super, super computer.


	60. Reunion

"AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGHHHHHH!!!"

I can't help but scream at my current predicament. The fact that I was currently falling through a vast amount of dimensional rifts is pretty troubling. All I did was open the weird door in the middle of the dark space and suddenly I was sucked into the door.

That was six hours ago...

I think.

I don't think time exists in this place.

Anyway, I digress. Currently, I am falling deeper and deeper into the vast void. The farther I fall, the less objects I see around me. It became apparent that I've arrived in the dimension Akami-sama referred to as the 'Recycling Bin' when not a single object can be seen floating around the place. It was all black, pitch-black, so dark that I can't even see my hand in front of my face. I felt like I've stopped falling yet I also felt that I am now floating in water. It was like I was swimming through the air. I didn't know or see where I was going, so I just kept moving forward. It was hard to move around, and strange too. I found it surprisingly easy to breathe here considering the lack of atmosphere and air in this place. Moving forward sapped a lot of energy from me that I soon found myself tired and weary. I felt more and more fatigued everytime I moved.

" Damn it, Monika... The moment I see you, I'm gonna make you give me a back rub!" I muttered out angrily.

Then, as if it answered in response, a blindingly, bright light shone in the distance like a beacon. I moved towards it, like a moth to a flame. Its warmth stretched out into all directions, its light calling out for all those who are lost. My body seemed to be moving against an unseen current. I could feel a heavy force pushing backwards the more I got nearer towards the light. The more I pressed onwards, the weaker I felt. It was frustrating, but I knew I had to do something about it.

I took a deep breath and mustered all of my strength into moving forward as quickly as possible. As I got closer, I was surprised that the source of the light came from a window. I squinted my eyes to focus on the structure. I was surprised to find the Club Room floating around this place. I steeled myself before dashing towards the door. But just when I was within arms reach of the door, a sudden burst of force nearly sent me flying in the opposite direction. I managed to hold onto the handle before that happened(lucky me). I gritted my teeth before twisting the knob. The moment the door opened, I pulled myself inside the Eternal Classroom.

DDLC: Our Reality

The room had a warm, orange hue to it. I felt a heavy tension in the air, a common foreshadowing of bad events. The room seemed larger inside than outside, and the windows showed a different scene than the pitch-black darkness that I have seen. It showed the stars and the universe while letting in light from the outside. I stepped forward, taking in the familiar surroundings around me. There is only one table in the room, and it sat in the center with two chairs facing opposite each other. I paced slowly towards it, remembering the conversations Monika and the player had in this place. No one else is in this room but me, strange. I looked up to see a new addition to the room. There, near the corner, is a door that wasn't there before. I was about to approach it when something caught my eye. I bent down to look at the speck of crimson on the floor. My lips curled into a slight frown when I saw that it was fresh blood. I stood up and saw there were more drops of blood on the floor, forming a trail towards the door.

I felt a chill ran down my spine when I heard sobbing coming from the room. I wanted to rush in there, but a part of me kept me from doing so. Knowing Monika, I knew it would be wise to follow that cautious side of me. I already have a picture of what the inside of that room might look like. I shuddered as I reached for the handle. Hesitation gripped at my heart, yet I remained calm. I slowly twisted the door knob, holding my breath as I did so.

My stomach churned at the scent of blood. The door wasn't even opened the whole way yet the sickening smell of blood oozed out of the room and into my nose. I suppressed my urge to vomit and pressed onwards into the room. The room was dark, but I could see the silhouette of someone sitting by the window sill. I stood still for a moment as a pleasant and all to familiar melody filled my ears. Her voice was pained as she sang sweetly. I couldn't stop myself from tearing up to the sound of her voice. So sweet, so soft, so gentle... yet so, so hurt. And as the last two verses of the song neared, I failed to keep my mouth shut.

" ...if I don't know how to love you~..." Monika paused for a moment, her green eyes filling up with tears as she tried to get herself to finish the song.

" ...I'll leave you be..." Monika turned her head towards me as I sang the last line. I could only see the glow of her beautiful, emerald-green eyes due to the darkness, but I can't help myself from feeling happy.

" I... I always hated that part. It always reminded me of the fact that you're... gone forever." I said to her with a warm smile on my face.

" Yoku..." She reached out her hand, only to pull it back.

I could her her sigh loudly. She turned her head away from me and peered out into the void. I wanted to run towards her, but my hair was standing on end. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, something is screaming for me to just stand here and keep my distance. I was torn between the joy I felt to see Monika and the crushing and choking sense of fear that I felt.

" Hey, Yoku. Tell me... Have I suffered enough?" Her voice is calm and serious, yet it didn't fail to send a chill down my spine.

" Don't you hate me? I locked away the memories of everyone that had something to do with me; I caused our world to be destroyed; I killed the girls in the past. After all of that, I was just about to get off scot free?" She turned her head towards me. I could only see the glow of one of her eyes, the other is currently being covered by boxes that glitched erratically.

" I'm a monster... A selfish, greedy monster. I didn't just deserve to be deleted, I should have been deleted a long time ago..." Her voice ran cold, her eyes glowed with hatred at herself as she said those words.

Taking a step forward, I spoke in a warm tone to mask my worries. "Monika, you're no monster... You're our friend! And right now, we need y—" she slammed her fist on a table and glared at me.

" **A FRIEND?! WHAT KIND OF FRIEND KILLS THEIR OWN FRIENDS?! WHAT KIND OF 'FRIEND' ABANDONS THEIR FRIENDS?!"** She asked angrily, her voice would glitch here and there, but it only served to intensify the anger in her voice. I couldn't see her fuming expression due to the darkness, but it must've been terrifying.

" Monika... T-that's not what I mea—"

" THEN WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

There was a pause due to me choking up on my words. "M-Monika... What I mean is... you shouldn't keep blaming yourself for those things."

A deafening silence fell between the two of us. She hesitated for a moment, but she let out a heavy sigh before slumping against the window.

" You want me to blame the script, don't you? Then what? Do you just expect me to forget about those things? To put it behind me?" She had a sort of sarcastic tone to her words.

" Look, Monika... Let's just go back so we can talk to the—"

" **JUST STOP IT, YOKU! I HAVE DONE THINGS THAT CAN'T BE FORGIVEN! YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND HOW I'M FEELING RIGHT NOW!"**

Her sudden outburst caused the room to shake violently. Her anguished voice echoed out throughout the void. I steeled my nerves and slowly approached her. I felt that the floor is wet, and when I took a short whiff of what it was, I found it to be blood.

" Monika... Please, just listen—"

" GET AWAY FROM ME!"

This time, the room didn't shake violently. But a powerful force sent me flying towards the door. My body let off a resounding thud as I slammed into the door and breaking it down. The light from the other room flooded inside Monika's room. I could finally see...

Blood..

There was blood everywhere. The walls, the floor and the ceiling were covered in with the crimson liquid. With this, I turned my focus on Monika. I was horrified to find her in a worse state than me when I was trapped in Yuri's basement. Her left eye is gone and only an empty socket that glitched erratically remains. Around her neck is a noose that's been wrapped tightly. It has caused the flesh on her neck to be chaffed and discolored purple. Her blazer was torn in several places, particularly the sleeves. Knives were poking out of her chest, her abdomen, and her arms. Gashes and cuts much larger than Yuri's can be seen on her arm.

" Monika... Why would you do this to yourself?!" I asked with a worried expression. I avoided running towards her since I might just get blown away again.

" I... I wish to repent for my wrongs. I... I wanted to know the kind of pain I've put them through..." A mix of sadness and anger can be felt in her voice.

" It hurts... Everything hurts... Not just my body, but my heart hurts too." She said in an anguished voice.

" Moni— Dear, I know it hurts. So please, let me help you."

" N-No... I can't, I can't accept it. I don't deserve forgiveness or happiness... I deserve this, I deserve... to suffer." Monika covered her face with her hands and began to wail in sorrow.

"You say you haven't suffered enough, right?!" I asked her loudly, surprising the poor brunette. She nodded twice before wincing in pain.

" Then, why don't we suffer together?"

" H-Huh?" She finally looked up at me.

" I'll... I'll share your pain, for the rest of my life! I'll listen to all your problems, no matter how serious or petty they are! I'll listen to them and support you through them, through thick and thin. After all..." I took hold of one of her hands and held it tightly. Its warmth soothed me a little bit.

" ... That's what lovers do, right?"

She turned her head away from me and cried once more. I let out a sigh and slowly walked towards her. Once I was in arm's reach, I placed a hand on her shoulder. "No one deserves any of this... Besides, you're hurting me more by not going back with me."

She continued to cry. Her tears now forming a small, wet patch on her skirt as it dripped from her hands. I stood up, and let out a heavy sigh before slumping beside her. As she cried on, I patted her on the back gently. I looked at the noose coiled around her neck.

" Monika... I know you want me to forget about you. But I can't. I don't want to. I don't want to lose you... I don't want to leave you." I said to her soflty.

" I hate being alone... I hate it... So please... Don't leave me alone." I began to tear up as well. This managed to grab her attention. She lifted her head up and faced me.

" Y-Yoku... Why? Why won't you leave me alon— mhmmf!"

I took hold of one of her hands and pressed my lips against hers. She resisted for a while, trying her best to pull away from me. But in the end, she relented and returned a passionate kiss back to me. After a brief moment, we pulled away and stared longingly at each other. Monika immediately bent her head down to hide her blush.

" Have you calmed down now?" I asked teasingly, only to be met by weak punches on my chest.

" Meanie... Meanie... Meanie..." She muttered out softly under her breath.

" I wanted to forget about you. Doing so would make this easier... but..." She lifted her face to reveal a teary eyed face. Her sad expression tugged on my heart strings.

" I can't help but love you even more..." She placed a hand on my cheek and gently caressed me. Her soft touch brought me a slight comfort.

We were about to embrace each other, only to be hindered by the three knives sticking out of her.

" I... I guess we should take care of this first, huh?" I smiled at her.

" Y-Yeah... Sorry you had to see this." Monika averted her eyes from me.

" T-that's all right. I was kinda expecting that this might happen. Anyway, I'll handle the noose and the knives, but how abou—"

" L-Leave it to me." She pulled out her console and began to type.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

My hand firmly held the handle of one of the knives. Monika stared at it intently, her eyes glued on the bloodied blade stuck on her chest. She took a deep breath, and gave me the signal(which was a thumbs up). With one swift motion, I pulled out the knife as quickly as I could. She let out a harrowing scream, loud enough to cause the walls of the room to vibrate. I can clearly hear labored breathing as she pressed on the open wound.

" Keep... going..." She murmured.

I took hold of the other knife and quickly yanked it out if her. Before I could hear a scream however, a fist made contact with my face and I was immediately sprawling on the floor. The pain was excruciating, and I could taste blood in my mouth. I looked up to see Monika glaring at me while gnashing her teeth together.

" YOU WERE... ARGH! SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR MY SIGNAL!!!" She was pissed, super pissed.

" I'm... sorry. But in my defense, you told me to do it!" I replied to her, standing on my feet as I did so.

" That's not the signal! Argh! God damn it! Just... get this last one out quickly."

I took a deep breath and did my best to ignore the pain on my cheek. As I wrapped my fingers around the knife's handle, I looked at her.

" N-now?"

" NOW!"

I pulled the last one out in a fast motion. I immediately jumped back and took on a defensive stance to try and block any incoming attack. Thankfully, no attack came at my direction, but the poor wall now has a massive dent. Monika was now on all fours in pain, her quick and labored breathing can be heard loudly. She would slam her fist on the ground to vent some of the pain.

" God... This hurts... Fuck..." She said as she gritted her teeth in pain.

" Okay... I just need to restore my character file. This would take care of the wounds."

" How about the noose?"

" Just cut it off later."

With that, a soft and warm light enveloped Monika. I couldn't help but think of her as an angel. Her heavenly glow lit up the room significantly. I could see that the wounds on her arms are disappearing. Then, the soft glow began to burn brighter until it turned into a blindingly bright light. It stopped suddenly, and in front of me stood Monika. She no longer has any of her wounds, and her uniform is now patched up.

" Okay... Now cut the noose around my neck, dear." Monika sat and turned her back towards me. She flipped away her hair and bent her head.

Without saying anything, I used one of the knives to cut the rope. I began to cut as carefully as I could. Even if no one can die here, I didn't want to hurt her. As the last of the rope fibers were split apart, I heard Monika take in a deep breath.

" That's better..." She muttered out before forcefully yanking the rope from her neck and throwing it to the sides.

" Nice! Now we can go ba—"

" Hold on! I didn't say anything about going back just yet." Monika tugged on my sleeve. She flashed me puppy dog eyes as she stared at me.

" W-Why? Don't you want to go back?"

" I... I just want to stay here for a while and clear my head." Monika lets go of my sleeve and sighed.

" I... I don't want to face them right now. Just... Just give me some time to gather my thoughts." She walked towards the lone table in the center of the room and sat down.

" Oh, okay. That's fine. I'll be by your side until you're ready." I said before taking a sit beside the wall. I could see that Monika laid her head on her arms. I was about to take a sleep when Monika called out to me. I went up to her side and looked at her inquisitively.

" That was a nice proposal..." She teased. I let out a chuckle before smiling.

" Yeah... I suppose it wa— Wait a minute... WHEN I SAID I'D SHARE YOUR PAIN I DIDN'T MEAN PUNCH ME IN THE FACE!" I said angrily. She paused for a moment, then... finally...

She smiled

" Ahaha~! S-Sorry about that, dear." She had a smug look on her face as she patted me on the head.

" Tch! Yeah, yeah..." I flash a smug grin on Monika.

" Why? What's so funny?" She asked with a cute pout.

" Oh, nothing! It's just that... could the club president really lose her cool with such a statement?" Monika is now blushing brightly, but instead of being bashful, she was laughing sweetly.

" Any girl would lose their composure if the love of their life suddenly promised to be with you forever... But hey... Yoku..."

" Hmm? What is it?"

She let out a smile and pulled me into an embrace.

" Thanks for being here with me." I let out a smile as well and returned her embrace.

" I'll always be here with you." I whispered into her ear.

We stayed like that for a while, gingerly hugging each other for what seemed like eternity. Suddenly, she pulled away from the hug and shot me an embarrassed smile.

" I nearly forgot. Hold on a second."

 _Yoku.chr/memories restored to original state._

" There! Ahaha! Sorry for doing that earlier." She smiled and bowed her head in an apologetic gesture.

" Hmph! You couldn't even remove all traces of you from my mind. _Here I thought you were a super program—"_

" What was that, darling?"

" N-Nothing!"

She stared at me intently, before breaking into laughter. I can't help myself from laughing as well.

" I missed you, Monika." I said to her as I gently caressed her cheek. She took hold of my hand and held it close.

" I... I missed you too."

She suddenly pulled me closer and leaned forward to kiss me. It was only a short and brief kiss, one that barely lasted a few seconds. Once we pulled away, I noticed Monika had an implicit look on her eyes.

" What?" I asked curiously.

" Akami-sama told you to take all the time we need, right?" She had a mischievous look in those green eyes of hers.

" Yeah, he di— Ohhhh! I get it."

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

After cleaning ourselves up, we took a look at the mess we made. We took a good look at the table, er, at least what remained of it. Thing couldn't handle the weight of two people on top of it. The floor was a mess too, and don't ask me how that stain reached the ceiling.

" Great, you ruined a pretty nice table." Monika said to me as she buttoned up her top.

" Me?! _You're_ the one who got too rough!"

" Heh, really? I'm pretty sure the one going ham here is you."

" Not really. If I recall correctly, you're the one who got too crazy. Especially with he thigh highs. I didn't even know they could do that."

" You're the one who enjoyed it too much."

" Anyways, you ready to go back now?"

" Sure... I'll go back. But promise me!"

" Promise you what?"

" Promise me you won't let anything get out of hand when they confront me."

" Sure. I promise."

" Okay... I'm ready to go back now. But before that, just one last question."

" Hmm?"

" Are you... Are you mad at me for what I did?"

" To be honest... I'm just irritated at you. You suddenly ran away from your problems. That's not how you solve your problems!" I scolded her. She smiled sadly and nodded her head.

" I know. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

" Good. Now, let's get going. I'm sure they're waiting for us."

Monika nodded and took hold of my hand. She typed something into her console then a warm glow surrounded us. As the space around us began to fade away, I noticed that Monika wore a nervous expression. I let out a chuckle and held her hand tightly. I mouthed to her that it's gonna be alright and have trust in me. She nodded and closed her eyes tightly. In an instant, I was blinded by the brightness of the light as we were transported to Akami-sama's plane of existence.


	61. Resolution(Part 1 of 2)

Akami-sama sat in front of the sea he has just created moments ago. He looked out into the vast horizon, smiling as he did so. It was a perfect replica of the scene he has seen in his past memories. It was a shame however, for he could only see glimpses of the past he has forgotten. Akami-sama failed to completely restore his old memories for vast amounts of it is too hard to decrypt. But the few memories he had acquired are all important memories, at least for the old him. He couldn't even remember his name, that's how little information he got. But he could see now all the reasons why he wanted to help Yoku. He turned around to see that the place behind him is still just a blank space.

In the distance he saw Sayori and Natsuki watching some cat videos on his computer. He laughed to himself, knowing that what they're holding is a device capable of predicting the future and recounting the past with extreme accuracy, and here they are watching cat videos. He shook his head lightly before staring out into the sea once more. His eyes filled with sadness as he reminisced on that memory.

" Akami... sama?" The timid voice surprised Akami-sama. He turned his attention towards the source of the voice to see Yuri.

" H-Hello... Uh... Akami-sama. T-This is a n-nice scenery." Yuri muttered out as she nervously approached the god.

Akami-sama smiled at her. She's a far cry from the Yuri he knows, but she still possessed the timid trait he has grown fond of. " Come on now, don't be shy! Sit! Sit and think with me." He gestured to the spot beside him on the driftwood.

Yuri obediently complied and took a sit beside the god. Akami-sama flashed her a warm smile before continuing to gaze out into the sea. Yuri felt at ease, her thoughts tuning in on the sound of the relaxing splash of the waves against the sand. Though the beach looked majestic, the area around it was nothing more but a blank canvas for the god. She wondered if this beach was a place where the god had created fond memories. The god's eyes showed signs of sadness as he continued to stare far into the horizon.

" Akami-sama... Is there something troubling you?" Akami-sama gave a slight nod at the young girl's question.

" Do you want to... Uh... talk about it with me?" The god chuckled at this offer.

" No... Not really. Natsuki sent you here, didn't she?" Akami-sama smiled at Yuri.

" Ah... Y-Yes... She did. Natsuki... is... well, worried about you. Although she couldn't say it directly." The two of them looked at Natsuki. They caught sight of her staring at them before immediately averting her gaze.

" Hehehe, typical tsundere... I'm glad..." Akami-sama smiled in content as he stared into the crystal clear water.

" A-About what exactly?" Yuri asked curiously.

" I'm glad that Natsuki has a friend that could understand her so well. I could rest now, knowing that Natsuki and you are really close friends." Akami-sama placed a hand on Yuri's shoulder. Her face lit up at the god's touch.

" B-But we usually f-fight and argue with each other... That's not exactly how friends should act with each other..." Yuri sighed and twirled a strand of her hair between her finger.

" Hmm? The way I see it, you two are close enough to each other that you can argue with each other. If you two were just 'friends', I'm sure you'd both just keep your mouth shut whenever one of you brings up 'that' topic." He said to the girl before Akami-sama laughed heartily, startling Yuri.

" Ahaha! Come on now, don't deny it! You enjoy the time you spend with Natsuki, even if she gets too irritating." Akami-sama had a smug look on his face.

" A-Ah... I... W-Well, yes... As a matter of fact, I do. B-But please don't tell her. I-It might just provoke her to argue with me more." Yuri giggled before wrapping her arms around her knees and tucking her face in the crook of one elbow.

" Akami-sama... Can you give me some helpful advice?" She asked with a muffled tone.

" Sure thing. Whatchu' want?"

" How do I... Ah... Erm... Be a better friend to Natsuki? We just seem to argue and butt heads most of the time, and I want to change that." Yuri raised her head a little and stared at the amused god.

He smiled widely before patting the purple-haired girl. " Look out for her and support her. She's defensive and feisty cause she doesn't want to get picked on by others. Show to her that you're not a threat by doing your best to understand and tolerate her opinions." After he spoke, Akami-sama stood up and stretched his arms.

With a snap of his fingers, the beach and the scene completely disappeared from view. Along with the driftwood Yuri was sitting on. Her bottom hit the floor with a thud, causing her to let out a squeak of pain. Akami-sama immediately helped her up before bowing apologetically.

" S-Sorry about that. It slipped my mind that you were still sitting on a piece of the beach."

" I-It's ok..." Yuri murmured out with a pained smile. " I'll be going now..." Yuri bowed her head before walking away towards the girls.

Akami-sama smiled. Yuri and Natsuki wanted to help him, but instead, he ended up helping them both with their friendship. He let out a sigh before he submerged himself in deep thought once more. He wanted to know more about his past, but his memories are far too vague now. The few memories he did remember only told him snippets about his old life as a mortal. About how he once had his wish granted... and how it ended. He felt a sense of nostalgia rush through him when he saw the three Dokis watching some anime. That was a memory he recovered, and a pleasant one too. A favorite past of his is to watch anime, a past time he ended up sharing wit the Dokis.

His smile slowly turned into a frown. His happy expression melted off and was replaced by sadness. He knew now that he has to make an important decision. He knows how happy and important the time he has spent with the Dokis is to them, but he knew that it would only trouble them in the future. The Dokis would have to spend a lifetime knowing about how insignificant they are in the universe, and about how fake their 'reality' is. Akami-sama sighed in frustration, his thoughts now clouded with doubt. He took out his command console and begins to type.

" I can't believe I'm doing this." He muttered out as he began to open up some files on a separate window.

" I'm sorry guys... But this is for your own good..."

 _Save changes to. chr folder?_

 _Warning! This change would affect files:_

 _Sayori.chr_

 _Yuri.chr_

 _Natsuki.chr_

 _Monika.chr_

 _Yoku.chr_

 _Maido.chr_

 _Do you still want to continue?_

Akami-sama minimized the window. He'll just active the change once he is ready to part ways with the Dokis. For now, he just has to wait for two more people. He lets out a laugh as he walks back to his chair.

He can't help but smile at how fate can make even the strongest god dance to its tune. " Yoku... To think that our mission is just the same." Akami-sama smiled as he stared up into the empty space.

In the distance, he saw a small tear open up. It was followed by loud screaming and two figures falling down.


	62. Resolution(Part 2 of 2)

Akami-sama walked towards the spot where the two landed. They bumbled around due to the nauseating effect of teleportation. He smiled at the sight of Yoku's success, but mostly he laughed at the groaning couple before him. Yoku set his irritated eyes upon the god, annoyed by his wide smile and cheerful disposition.

Akami-sama bent forward and greeted the two. "Hi Yoku! Hi Moni! Pleasant day we're having." His smile irritated Yoku even more.

"I fucking hate you... you damn god..." Yoku muttered out.

" Huh? Why?"

"This whole day has just been a catastrophe." Yoku retorted.

" Ahaha! Glad you enjoyed yourself!"

The two glared at the god, who only smiled at them. Akami-sama chuckled as the two got up and stretched their arms. He remembered the times he had with his beloved one. Yoku and Monika let out an irritated groan at the same time before looking back at the god.

" You're messed up." Monika said to Akami-sama with an angry tone to her voice.

" Why?"

Monika was about to lay a verbal beat down on the god when Yoku stopped her by shaking his head at her.

" I got this, don't worry... YOU FUCKING PERVERT! WE JUST FUCKING REALIZED THAT YOU SAW EVERYTHING!!!" Yoku shouted at the god.

" Ah! Yes, I did saw everything. Come on now, no need to be—"

" WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! ARE YOU... ARE YOU GETTING A KICK OUT—"

" Woah, woah, _woah!_ First of, I didn't mean to see what you two were doing... omnipotence? Heard of that? Second! I'm not into voyeurism. I'm more of a... vanilla guy. And third! When I said take your time, I didn't mean use your time to do... _that!_ Come on guys! There's a time and place for this!" Akami-sama rubbed the back of his head and groaned.

" Look, I know the both of you are eager and happy to see each other, but please refrain from doing it so often!" Akami-sama smiled awkwardly at the couple. Their response is an irritated and frustrated sigh.

" I didn't know I could feel anger and funny at the same time." Monika said to Yoku.

" Yeah... me too... But that feeling is being drowned out by my concern over my privacy." Yoku replied in a stern voice.

" Ahaha, well, it's good to see you too! Anyways, the girls are over there." Akami-sama pointed to the area in the distance where four girls can clearly be seen playing Super Smash Bros. "Call me if you guys are ready to go home." Akami-sama turned around and raised his arm.

The space around him began to shift, turning into pleasant scenery. It was a beach, a beautiful beach. Its waters are crystal clear and lush, green, tropical trees surrounded the area.

" I'll be over here contemplating my life." Akami-sama smiled before he materialized a large piece of driftwood.

Yoku and Monika looked at the god with a blank expression on their faces. They found it odd that the quirky and eccentric god is the type that contemplates his life. Nevertheless, they continued to make their way towards the others.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

They heard Sayori shout loudly before jumping up in joy, promptly followed by Natsuki throwing her controller to the ground and cursing loudly.

" WHY DO YOU ALWAYS GO FOR ME?!" Asked the pink-haired girl loudly and angrily.

" Ehehe... You made me lose last round." Retorted Sayori with a cheeky smile on her face.

" Why you... I'll get you for this!" Natsuki shouted before taking hold of her controller once more and mashing the buttons violently.

" That's... That's not how you play this game..." Everyone turned their heads towards Yoku. They were surprised to find out that he has returned, and in high spirits. Natsuki gave him the controller and watched as the boy began to crack his fingers.

He had a wide smile on his face as he took in his opponents. Maido is playing Pikachu, Sayori is playing Mario and Yuri is playing Meta Knight. Yoku grinned even wider, seeing that he is about to play his "Ace". In his hands is Kirby, his favorite character in this game. His skill with Kirby could be compared to that of a god's! He shot each of the girls a smug look before sitting down. Suddenly, his fingers were darting across the buttons and joysticks. He moved quickly but precisely, executing combos after combos that devastated the girls. Sure, he'd die sometimes but it took way too much effort to do so. After at least 10 more rounds, the girls gave up on defeating Yoku.

" Boooo! Shouldn't you let us win? Where is the fun in crushing three helpless girls?" Sayori said in a sour tone.

" But I must say, that is quite impressive. Your actions per minute must be pretty high." Yuri said while she gazed at Yoku's hands.

" Ehehe... Sorry, I didn't mean to go all out on you guys." Yoku said before putting away the controller.

" Y-Yoku! Y-You better teach me those moves someday! Mkay?!" Natsuki huffed out while shaking Yoku by the shoulders.

" Alright! Alright! Ahaha! Stop shaking me!" Yoku said with a smile on his face.

" _I wish everyday is just like this..._ " Yoku murmured to himself.

While the group doted over Yoku, Sayori took notice of Monika. She stood far from the group, keeping her distance and quietly observing them. " Hmm? Monika! Why are you standing way over there? Get over here!" Sayori beckoned to her kindly.

Monika nods and slowly approach them. She hesitated for a moment, but Yoku gestured to her to sit beside him. She felt uneasy due to the stares that everyone gave her. Sayori gave her a warm smile and hands her a silver controller. Monika looked up to see that instead of anger and resentment, she found only a comforting warmth and joy in the blue eyes of Sayori.

" Want to play? You seem like you want to join us." Sayori said as she placed the controller in Monika's hands.

Monika only responded with silence. She gazed down once more, avoiding eye contact with anyone. This irked Natsuki, but just a little bit.

" If you feel bad for the shit you pulled, say so. Don't make yourself look pathetic! That's something Yuri might do, not Monika." The pink-haired girl said coldly, but she didn't intend to scare Monika, but that she did. Monika curled up into a little ball and began to tear up.

" Natsuki! How... How rude! Uncivilized! Insensitive! You're not helping!" Yuri scolded.

" Monika... If... If you're scared that we're mad at you, don't be. The only person here that's angry at you is Yoku, and that's because you left him." Yuri calmly explained to the scared girl.

Monika still remained silent. Yuri's words unintentionally hurt her. How could they not be mad at her? Could they be hiding it in respect for Yoku? No person couldn't be angry after learning about their demise at the hands of a person they perceived to be their friend. She clutched the hems of her skirt and bit her lip. Monika still felt angry at herself, especially now. Suddenly, she felt a tug at her sleeve. She turned to find Sayori peacefully staring at her. She wore a concerned expression and showed a worried frown.

" Monika... Don't, uh, get so hung up over the past." Sayori took Monika's hand and caressed it. The brunette winced at the memory of what she did to Sayori. Those were the most painful ones for her. She couldn't hold the damn of emotions within her anymore.

" _Sayori... I'm so, so sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."_ Monika murmured out softly as she began to tear up.

Sayori smiled, then embraced her gently. She spoke warmly to her; "Monika, it's okay. We forgive you... so please don't cry." Sayori said as she stroked Monika's brown hair.

" _No... No it's not..._ It's not! I killed you! I... I made you hang yourself... T-that's not—"

" Monika... I'm sorry too. I should've noticed it sooner. I should've noticed that your confident and headstrong nature masked your feelings of crippling loneliness." Sayori said in a pained tone. Monika stuttered and began to cry harder.

" You kept saying and pretending that you didn't feel remorse or guilt at the things you did. You acted as if the deaths of your friends didn't faze you. But it's clear now that all of that was a lie." Sayori smiled sadly while her friend buried her face on her chest.

" _I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."_ The Club President repeated those words over and over again while Sayori patiently comforted her.

While the two had their moment, Yoku and the rest had their own little conversation.

" Yuri, Natsuki, are you guys seriously not mad at her?"

" No. And frankly, I don't really have a reason to do so." Yuri replied as she looked at Monika.

" Even if she made us go through hell, I'm sure it was a more painful experience for her." Yuri said in a neutral tone, hiding the fact that she was feeling down due to the situation.

" I didn't really had any bad shit happen to me in the game. Except for a handful of moments. But I'm sure that my situation in the game pales in comparison with those three." Natsuki said with a serious expression.

" Besides, I don't want to hate the person that took me in as a true friend. I can't waste the energy to do that." Natsuki added.

" I... I see... Thank you..." Yoku said before letting out a relieved sigh.

The three turned towards the two. They saw that Monika is still crying on Sayori's chest. The pinkette had motherly aura to her while she comforted the tormented girl in front of her. She tried her best to soothe the pain she felt with warm words. Yoku can't help but feel amazed at Sayori's ability to help people.

" _Why? Why don't you hate me? I did so much to hurt you, yet how could you still call me your friend?"_ Monika asked her.

" That's in the past, Monika. That was during a time where we follwed some sort of script. We were forced to follow a route like puppets on a string. Now... Now we're living! Like true living! We don't need to focus on a past we cannot change, but on the now and the future." Sayori embraced her tightly and began to tear up as well.

" I don't want to get mad at you because of a past we had no control over. I want to keep focusing on the future of our friendship, and keeping away my rain clouds." Sayori said softly as a tear rolled down her cheek.

" Don't make the same mistake I did, Monika... Don't let the rain clouds cloud your mind. Just... Just focus on the sunny days of tomorrow." Sayori said before hugging the president tightly.

" Monika... I forgive you. WE forgive you. You don't have to feel guilty and alone anymore. We're all here for you." Sayori said softly with a smile on her face.

Monika continued to cry for a while until she tuckered herself out like a kid. Sayori laid her down and wiped away the tears from her face. Monika's cheeks and eyes are red due to the excessive crying. Sayori sighed and held her hand. She can't let a friend suffer so much anymore. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching her. She turned to see Yoku and the others smiling at her.

" We're proud of you, Vice President." Yoku said before placing a hand on her shoulder. Suddenly, Yoku found himself tangled in Sayori's embrace

" I did my best to help her." Sayori murmured.

" You did a great job." Yoku said before reciprocating her embrace

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

While the club had their moment, Akami-sama watched from afar. He felt proud to see them grow over the course of three weeks. He watched as the group tend to Monika. He remembered the moment he restored their memories of her. They were pissed at first, really pissed. They couldn't believe that their friend just left them. After a while however, Suddenly, he felt someone take a sit beside him. It was Maido, who slipped out in the middle of the whole thing. She had a smile on her face as she watched the scene before her.

" Master did good this time." Maudo said while she rested her chin on her hands.

" Oh please! I did far more good back in my prime." Akami-sama retorted.

" Heh, very funny." Maido said with an amused tone. "I'm sure that the only good thing you did before this is overthrowing a stable but dictatorial civilization."

" Since when did you learn to be snarky with me?"

" I don't know. But I'm pretty damn sure that you're supposed to keep a close eye on your creations." Maido flashed Akami-sama a smug grin.

" It's nice to see that my little homunculus has taken a big leap towards being human." Akami-sama spoke with pride.

" I'm happy to see that this useless god finally did a good thing in his life." Said Maido with a smug tone.

Akami-sama chuckled. He found it amusing to see that Maido, a being he created to function as nothing more but a servant, showed signs of rebellious and mischievous behavior towards her creator. He gave her a pat on the head, taking her by surprise. She quickly pulled away and began hissing at the god.

" It's nice to see that my little doll has become more human now." He said warmly before pulling out his command console.

" Akami-sama! D-don't touch me so suddenly!" Maido said before grooming her hair.

" Ahaha! Sorry. Anyways, since you're here. Perhaps I may interest you in a gift!"

" A gift?"

" Yes, a gift. I could see that you've already learned how to show emotions. A trait that I've failed to implement when making you. With that hurdle behind you, perhaps you are ready." Akami-sama began to type on his computer.

" Maido, I give you the one thing I've failed to bestow upon you..." Akami-sama smiled at Maido and clasped her hands together. Her face turned red while her heart began to race.

" W-W-W-What are you doing?!" She said with a bashful voice.

" _Change entity ID to .Homo Sapien/Maido."_ Suddenly, Maido fell on her knees as she felt the sting of having most of her anatomy and cells rapidly change.

" Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!!! Argh!!!" She cussed out in pain. She could feel the loss of her ability to not age or die.

" Sorry Maido, but to become human is to become mortal. But hey! Being human is more better than a sterile homunculus."

" I... I don't care about that!"

" Well, too bad. You're already a human. You're no longer immortal..."

 _Immortality buff removed_

" GAH!"

" You no longer have the ability to regenerate from fatal wounds."

 _Regeneration buff removed_

" NO!"

" And... Yeah, you're pretty much a normal human now. Your cells age and your body will age due to that."

" God... this hurts..." Maido murmured out, before finally standing up.

" Eh, at least you're human now. Besides, immortality is really boring, don't you think? Where is the excitement of living your life to the fullest when you know you could always finish everything you want on a later date. That's why I hate other gods, always lounging in their chairs not doing anything. JUST BECAUSE YOU COULD DO EVERYTHING LATER DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD!" Akami-sama ranted. Maido sighed and shook her head from side to side.

" So... does that mean that I'm gonna be living on Earth now?" Maido asked with a curious tone.

" Yeah, pretty much. But it's up to you on what you want to do with your life. I'll just code it into the world." Akami-sama said to her with a neutral tone.

Maido paused and thinked in silence. She reflected on her choices, furrowing her eyebrows as she dove deep in her thoughts. Akami-sama waited patiently, smiling as he watched what was just a living doll earlier practicing free will now. Finally, Maido looked up at him with resolve burning in her eyes and a steeled expression.

" I... I want to continue serving Yoku. I want to see... I want to see the ending of his story." Maido said with a serious expression. Her eyes showing the strength of her resolve. Akami-sama smiled wider and clapped his hands in pride.

" If that is your wish, so be it! Ahaha! I wish you luck on your wish. And now that you mention it, it's time. It's time to wrap up this story." Akami-sama smiled as he pulled up a window. On it is a small box with one line written on it.

 _Initiate world restart?_

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

Everyone watched as Monika finally woke up after crying herself to sleep. They figured she was emotionally exhausted after all of this, so they let her sleep as much as she wants. She looked around, seeing that the Literature Club is circled around her.

" Hello." Sayori smiled before booping Monika on the nose. She shook her head due to the tickling sensation while Sayori giggled.

" Have you calmed down now?" Natsuki asked calmly. Monika nodded in response.

" Do you understand that we're not mad at you for what we did?" Yuri asked with a warm tone.

"...Yes." Monika murmured out.

" Cheer up! That's not the confident President we know!" Sayori said loudly while pouting at Monika.

Monika smiled before standing up. Without saying a word, she pulled everyone close to her and embraced them all tightly. She figured this was a better outcome than her original plan. The warmth of this embrace is much better than the cold and bleak loneliness she felt when she killed them all just to be with the person she loved.

" Thank you... Thank you all for being my friends..." Monika whispered out while she hugged them tighter.

" No problem! Having you as our Club President is also a nice experience!" Sayori said.

" Y-Yes... It's been a fun experience to have you leading the Literature Club." Yuri said with a warm smile.

" Y-Yeah... Same... Hey, can you let go now? This cow is suffocating me with her damn boobs!" Natsuki, who was sandwiched in the middle with Yoku, said as she struggled to get out of that spot.

The three pulled away from the embrace. Yuri immediately began arguing with Natsuki due to her impolite remarks about her chest while Monika and Sayori helped Yoku up. Yoku was wheezing and panting for air due to the fact that his face was buried between Yuri's and Monika's breasts just a while ago.

" Thank... you..." Yoku wheezed out at her.

" Darling... Thanks for helping me." Monika said as she caressed Yoku's cheeks and hugging him softly.

" I barely did anything. Hehe, but at least I got you back." Yoku said as he gave Monika a thumbs up.

" But please don't do that again." Yoku said to Monika before returning her hug.

" Oh don't worry, she won't." Everyone turned their attention towards Akami-sama. They were surprised to find that he was done moping around.

" I'll be taking away your powers, Monika. Is that okay with you?" He asked the brunette with a polite tone.

" Of course! Please, by all means!" Monika replied enthusiastically. It was clear that she was done with having so much power pressuring her mind.

Akami-sama nods and types something into his command console. Monika gave off a faint glow for a moment, then it disappears. Suddenly, a notification popped up in front of her.

 _Your administrator privileges have been revoked._

Monika smiled and looks at the god. "Thank you." She spoke gladly.

" Anyway, it's time to send you guys back. I'm sorry to say this, but I won't be meeting with you guys anymore." The room filled with dissapointed and sad cries.

"As a parting gift, I'll answer one question from each of you. Let's start with Monika." He said with a smile on his face. Monika stepped up and took a deep breath.

" Akami-sama... W-Will we see you again someday?" Akami-sama shook his head at her question.

" Maybe..." His response was soft. Monika smiled and extended her hand.

" Then it was nice knowing you. I'd also like to thank you on behalf of the Literature Club for bringing us happiness in the form of Yoku." Akami-sama shook her hand before she runs back to Yoku's side. The next girl to step up is Sayori.

" Okay, uh... Is the world still full of problems? L-Like world hunger?" Sayori asked with a serious expression in her face.

" Sayori, I'm sorry but yes. The world is still full of problems like hunger, poverty and war, though not as bad as before. But you see, such problems are what helps bring humanity closer. It is necessary to experience such evils to see the beauty of peace and good. Such hurdles and hardships are what keeps humanity moving forward to a better future. Do you understand?" Sayori paused and thinked for a moment before answering.

" No. I... I don't understand, but if you say that it is necessary, then I believe you." Sayori had a sad but enlightened look on her face.

" Sayori, let me give you an advice. Don't let the rain clouds cloud your judgement. Just because there is suffering in some part of the world, it doesn't mean you should give up on it entirely. In fact, it means that you should focus on helping as much people as you can." Akami-sama smiled before patting Sayori on her shoulder. Sayori smiled and hugged the god tightly.

" Got it! I'll keep that advice with me all the time." Sayori said before letting go and running back to the group with a new and strengthened resolve.

" Okay, my turn. Akami-sama... can I get some form of remembrance from you?" Natsuki asked timidly. Akami-sama laughed and took out something from his pocket. It was his external hard-drive.

" Here. It's filled with around... 36 terabytes of anime... Oh, and do me a favor and delete any hentai you see on that thing." Natsuki looked at the god and punched him softly on the shoulder.

" I freaking hate you sometimes... But thanks.Thanks for being a great dad for a few days." Natsuki hugged the god tightly but briefly, shedding a few tears as well. Akami-sama wiped them away and laughed.

" Natsuki, he may have been your father, but he wasn't your daddy." Akami-sama patted her head and laughed.

" Did... Did you just quote Yondu?" The girl asked with a smile on her face.

" Hehe, yeah."

" That's lame... But I liked it." Natsuki kissed Akami-sama on the cheek before walking back to the group.

The last was Yuri, who timidly approached the god. "Akami-sama... Why is the meaning of life '42'?"

" Are you seriously wasting your question on that?" Akami-sama had a unimpressed and a not-so-thrilled look on his face.

" Yes." Yuri spoke seriously.

" God dammit... 42, the meaning of life, everything and the universe is 42 is simple. In ASCII language, 42 is the code for the asterisk. What's special about this is that the asterisk can mean everything and anything. That is why the meaning of life is—"

" _Whatever you want it to be..._ I see. So does that mean that the beauty of life is in the way you spend i—"

" Yeah, whatever." Akami-sama rudely cut off Yuri as he stands up and pulls out his command console. Yuri shot him an offended look, but he pays no heed to this.

" Now that wraps up that... Okay, I'll be taking your memories of this place. and the weeks after the festival."

" HUH?!" Everyone lets out a collective gasp at the god.

" Y-You can't be serious! What about everything I've done?!" Yoku cried out in protest.

" Oh don't worry, I'm gonna pull an _ex machina_ on you and rewrite most of the story. Besides, all of you won't be able to live a normal life knowing that there's a god and an afterlife." Akami-sama said with a blank faced expression.

" FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!!" Yoku cried out before dashing towards the god with a raised fist. But before Yoku could lash out however, all of them slipped into unconsciousness.

Akami-sama felt sorry that he had to do this to them. Such an amazing journey, forgotten and covered up. But it's for the best. He knew all of them won't be able to live their lives to the fullest with the knowledge of all this things. With a heavy heart, he pressed the button that will bring them back to their world and start their new life. He watched as the space around them warp and tear before eventually swallowing them up. Akami-sama let out a sigh as he reminisced on the moments he spent with the club. But that's all behind him now. Today is the day the Literature Club starts their new life. He felt happy being a part of the journey, and sad that he is about to see the final chapter of all of it. He lets out a sigh as he took a sit and took in everything that just happened. He lets out one last laugh as he thought about the future of Yoku.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

" Huh? What the fuck is this? You guys were supposed to be reading what has happened to the club in a few years, not me! Has the author messed something up?" Akami-sama stopped for a moment. He swore he heard something. He lets out a sigh and frowns.

" Just finish up reading this chapter. I can't believe anyone would want to read about some plot device's ending. There's nothing mmore to offer! The story is done! Just wait for the next—" Akami-sama stops once again. He heard it once more, the sound of a heavy steel door opening.

Akami-sama stood up and turned around. In front of him is a door, door that used to be locked. It surprised the god for not even he could open it. It was dark inside, like you were staring into a void. Akami-sama held out one hand and cautiously approached the doorway. He suspected that there maybe something sinister behind this veil of darkness. His feet slowly moved forward as he plunged himself into the confines of the dark room.

As the darkness around Akami-sama dissipated, he felt a strange, nostalgic feeling. He looked around to find that the room he was in was the club room. He scratched his head in confusion.

" What the hell? Why am I—" Akami-sama fell silent when he heard footsteps walking towards him.

" I-Is anyone there?" A familiar voice called out from one corner of the room. At that moment, Akami-sama pieced what just happened together in his head.

Before Akami-sama could react however, a figure walked up to him. He fell silent as he saw a pair of emerald green eyes approach him. Her silky brown hair flowed down her back as she run towards him. Though his memory of her may have faded away, he could still remember his love for her. He finally found the person he wanted to save. He finally found _his_ Monika. As their gaze met and locked with each other, tears began to form in their eyes.

" You..." She murmured out as her voice began to quake.

" Hello... Uh... Sorry I'm late." Akami-sama spoke with a joking tone, trying to mask the fact that he was on the verge of crying.

Suddenly, he found himself in a tight embrace. The god was caught off guard, but he did reject the gesture. His shirt was now wet due to the tears Monika shed. But, even with a part of his memory restored, he still found this confusing. This entire time, he has basically helped a guy be together with another version of the girl Akami-sama spent his entire life trying to find and save. But he didn't really sweat the details all that much. Akami-sama slowly ran his fingers through her hair. His hurt fluttered at the touch of her hair, it sent a familiar yet distant feeling through his mind.

" Hey... Don't c-cry... I'm here now..." Akami-sama said with a quaking voice.

" H-How could I not cry when you're also crying?! You're such a dummy, dear!" Monika said while she kept her face buried in his chest. Akami-sama reached for his cheek, and sure enough, it's wet with tears.

" I-I ain't s-sad! These are t-tears of joy!" Akami-sama said with an ecstatic voice.

" S-So are mine! H-Hey! Y-you're getting my bow wet!... But I don't care..." Akami-sama felt her embrace tighten.

" _What took you so long, dummy?_ _I've been so lonely waiting for you..."_ Monika murmured out with a sad and soft tone. Akami-sama wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled.

" Don't worry... I'm here now..." Akami-sama spoke softly as he patted her back.

They stayed like that for a brief moment, but it felt like an eternity to them. After a while, they released their grasp on each other and gazed into each other's eyes. Monika placed a hand on his cheek before frowning. She reluctantly pulled away and sighed.

" D-Do you... Do you remember it all?" She asked with a scared and sad tone. Akami-sama's eyes darted to the left before he gave a reluctant nod.

Monika winced at this. She felt hurt since it's mostly her fault he lost his memories about their reality. "Dear... D-Do you remember anything about your past?" She asked.

He gave a halfhearted response. "Sadly... No. I could only remember my promise to save you, a few memorable times I spent with you and the others, and fractions of my life with you guys."

" I... I see... Then, do you remember the fate of our world?"

" Yes... It was one of the few memories I've managed to recover..." Akami-sama spoke with a dejected tone.

Monika paused for a moment. She had a sad and pained expression on her face. It was clear that this was a memory she hates to remember. Then, she places a hand on him and asks;

" Do you remember... who you are?"

Akami-sama froze. He lets out a sigh and shakes his head from side to side. It was pathetic, he couldn't even remember his own name. But before he could say anything, he felt Monika's fingers tighten around his shoulders.

" It's my fault... I'm sorry..."

" It's okay... But you still know my name, right?" Akami-sama asks enthusiastically.

" Of course! It's—"

" Let's save that for later! L-let's focus on catching up first, okay?" Akami-sama cut her off sharply. He didn't want to know his true name, at least not for now.

" H-Huh? Ok..." Monika looked at the god with a confused look.

" W-Who goes first, me or you?" Akami-sama asked.

After a moment, they decided that Monika would be the one to tell him their story. The god listened intently, focused at the task of trying to piece together his past. He found it an amusing tale, yet so nostalgic. Soon, her story ended and Akami-sama's began. He described in great detail about his travels through the different worlds in an effort to find her. He talked about his pursuit of knowledge, and the different journeys he had to go through to get this. Monika listened closely as he told his tale. At one point, she got mad after she found out Akami-sama slept with different women in an effort to gain their favor and knowledge. She felt hurt by this, but Akami-sama made up for it by... well... being punched repeatedly on his face. After that, he told his story on how he met Yoku and the weeks that followed.

" ...And that's how I found you here." Akami-sama finally finished his tale.

" I see... I'd like to meet this boy someday."

" Oh, you'd like him!"

" Yes, but not more than you." They laughed in unison before sighing longingly.

" Anyways, since I'm a god now... Why don't you help me?"

" Huh? What do you mean?"

" Help me in rebuilding our world together. Help me piece back together our reality." He extended a hand towards her, gesturing for her to come with him outside of this room. She hesitated for a moment, but she took his hand and smiled.

" I'd love to... Let's make a fresh start." Akami-sama pulled her towards her and nuzzled his nose against hers.

" I like that..." He muttered out before they walked outside of the dark club room.

But before he left the room, he turned back one last time and smiled. "That ends my story... How about Yoku's?" He murmured out before shaking his head and locking arms with his beloved. From now on, it'll just be him and Monika.


	63. Epilogue

Akami-sama stretched his arm while the morning sun shone on him and his cup of coffee. He finally managed to get the day and night cycle just right this time. It's really a pain in the ass to get this new world rotating just right to achieve a 23 hours and 56 minutes day and night cycle. He turned around to find Monika fiddling with the data on the world they were working so hard to piece back together.

" Hey dear, have you finished the character files?" Akami-sama asked as he sipped his coffee.

" Y-Yeah... Sort off... I just need some more data to make their thought process function much better."

" I see... I'll go take some data from my library to use as a data set." Akami-sama mused as he ran towards his small library.

He reached for a small book atop his shelf. He is still getting used to the smaller content of his once vast library. Monika forced him to give his collection back to the worlds he took them from back in his journeys. He reached for a small book atop his shelf, but he couldn't quite reach it. Suddenly, he tipped over a small frame and it immediately came falling down the shelf. Akami-sama immediately dropped what he was doing and quickly caught the picture frame just in the nick of time. He smiled as he took a look at the picture. It was his copy of the entire Literature Club's club picture.

" Pau— I mean, Akami-sama! What is that?" Monika called out to the god while she was busy working on the character files.

Akami-sama walked towards her with a smile on his face. "Just a nice picture. Here, take a look." Akami-sama handed her his treasured picture.

They both smiled at the captured moment. Sayori was the center of attention. She was the one holding the camera, and the one with the brightest smile. She held out a peace sign, adding more points into her overall cuteness. Monika and Yoku stood at the back while hugging each other. They could see his joyful expression while Monika pressed her body against his. Akami-sama chuckled to himself due to the smug look Yoku's Monika had on her face. Beside them is Natsuki and Yuri. The tall girl had a timid smile as she looked nervously at the camera. It was a stark contrast to Natsuki's confident and proud smile. The god laughed when he saw his old coworker Miss Yumi photo-bombing in the distance with a silly face. To the right is where the couple Yosuke and Amy could be seen sharing a discreet kiss. Hopefully he did a good job coding them back into the world. Beside them is Maido and Akami-sama. Maido had a forced smile on her face, she never really liked being photographed. Suddenly, Monika laughed as she took a look at the other version of herself, but her attention slowly turned towards Yoku.

" Why... Why did you have to make Yoku go through all of this, only for his effort to go to nothing?" Monika asked Akami-sama with a confused tone.

Akami-sama chuckled before he gave his answer. "I could never edit a world that was never mine. Sure, I could change it by a small degree, but never create such a radical change like what I just created. I needed the destruction caused by the Fourth Act in order for me to recreate the world to be the ideal world for Yoku."

" Is that so? Then why not just create the world from scratch? Couldn't you have given Yoku this world from the very beginning?" Monika asked the god.

" I needed to see if Yoku is worthy of living in the world of DDLC. And as I see it, he passed my test with flying colors." Akami-sama smiled as he looked at the picture.

" Well, he had help from his Monika. She was his wall to lean on when he felt down and hopeless. She and Yoku formed an amazing team. Together, no hurdle can stop those two. It was amazing to watch those two..." Suddenly, Akami-sama heard Monika giggle behind him.

" Ahaha! I want to meet that version of me." Monika smiled as she looked at her doppelganger.

" Heh, you might be surprised to see how different she is from you."

" Hmm? And why is that?"

" She's... Well... Uh... More assertive and dominant with Yoku than you are to me."

" I see! So she's the one wearing the pants in their relationship."

" I won't say it like tha— Nevermind."

" Ahaha~! That version of me is pretty interesting... How many versions of me have you met by the way?" Monika asked with childlike curiosity.

" Hmmm... Well, I've seen some dimensions where you kept getting into dangerous fights where you would help this guy called Monty fight off dangerous people; A dimension where you came out of a computer along with the others and met with this nice guy called Izuna Takaya; A dimension where you and your protagonist played along to the whims of a god and many more!"

" Wow! That sounds really fun!"

" You bet you do! The gods of those worlds are pretty nice guys!... Wait a minute, that reminds me..."

" What is it?"

" We haven't really checked how Yoku is doing, huh?"

DDLC: Our Reality

I shot up from my bed in a panic. It must've been all a dream, huh? Weird. I looked at the time in my clock. It's still five in the morning on the day of the festival. I let out a groggy groan as I stretched my arms and got out of bed. I looked at a picture on my night stand. It was a picture of my parents. Sadly, they aren't with me anymore. Dad died when I was five when he was shot in the line of duty while Mom succumbed to her grief a few years back. However, in my dream, she was taken away by social services due to abusive behavior as my brother took me under his wing. Mom was never like that, and that's what made the dream weird and strange. It felt too real, like it was a memory. They were supposed to leave us three siblings the 10 million dollars they earned by selling most of their estates overseas, but their will stated that 7 million will be donated to the local orphanage and hospital since my Mom used to be a doctor, a heart surgeon to be precise, and an avid volunteer at the orphanage. That left us with a million dollars each to be spent on my college tuition fees and my siblings' student loans, along with our expenses for the next few years. My brother used his inheritance to start a small restaurant in Japan while my sister used hers to fund her research on Robotics and A.I.

" Yoku~! Are you awake?" A singsong voice mused from downstairs.

" Yes!" I answered back.

" Take a shower! You're gonna be late!" She said loudly.

" Sure! Can you heat up some coffee for us?" I said before entering the bathroom.

That was Maido, or 'Mai' for short, our maid. Weird name, right? She's been my legal guardian and maid since I was around six. She was also basically my stepsister since Mom grew fond of her during her outreach activities in the orphanage and decided to adopt her. She's just two years older than me, but her mannerisms and attitude is like that of a mother's. She may be strict and stern most of the time, but she's really a child at heart. You could see this with her favorite hobby, Cosplaying. She's also incredibly intelligent, one could consider her a prodigy in the fields of Mathematics, Science, and much more if not for the fact that she refuses to finish her studies. Maido is content on only graduating highschool, choosing to take care of me first rather than her studies.

" Yoku! Hurry up! Your coffee is getting cold!" I was already in the process of getting dressed when she shouted from downstairs.

" Coming!" I replied back while I darted down the flight of stairs, putting on my blazer as I did so.

I was greeted with the sight of a table filled with food. The pancakes towered over the table and the aroma of bacon wafted through the air. Maido smiled as she handed me my cup of coffee.

" Today's a busy day. You guys better eat a heavy breakfast. Sayori and Natsuki should be here soon." Maido said before taking a sit and pouring herself a cup of coffee.

" Oh, yeah... The festival's today... Wait, are they eating here—" The door behind me flew open and two girls wearing our school uniform came storming inside.

" Good Morning~! Hi Yoku! Hi Maido!" Sayori's energetic voice surprised me. This early in the morning and she's already this energetic.

" Morning, sleepy head." Natsuki had a grin on her face as she sat down beside Sayori.

" You're in a good mood today." I remarked.

" That's cause I'm gonna attract new members with my delicious cupcakes! I've worked my butt off just to make a few batches." Natsuki proudly bragged with a the proudest and the most smug smile I've seen in a while.

" That's amazing. Nice job! Though you didn't need to brag about it to me." I said with a smile. Her face turned red as she began to stammer.

" Huh?! I-it's not like I'm s-showing off to you, dummy! It's my j-job to bake the cupcakes, r-remember?" She turned her head away with me while she pouted and folded her arms together.

" B-But thanks for noticing..." She murmured out with a timid and bashful tone.

" Ahaha! You're welcome!"

These two are my fellow club members and my neighbors. Sayori has been my childhood friend ever since we were babies. Our parents were close with each other, and I saw them as family as well. Sayori's mom and dad are both great and loving parents, although it's a shame they have to spend most of the year abroad due to work. Because of that, Mom stood as somewhat of a second mother for Sayori until Mom died three years ago, and I was like a brother to her. A few days ago, I found out Sayori has been battling depression. At first I was sad and worried, since I didn't even noticed she was suffering from it. But she told me that she doesn't plan on letting it impact her life too negatively. Currently, she's undergoing some therapy, and I'm proud that she's making some progress! I've been doing my best as her friend to support and help her with her hurdle in life. I'd hate it if Sayori gives up on herself, so I've been paying close attention to her this past few days.

Natsuki also became my neighbor just days ago. It was shocking to find out that she was being abused by her father. Damn monster has been starving her and beating her nearly everyday. Thankfully, a good neighbor found out about this and reported it to the authorities which lead to his arrest. Sadly though, Natsuki didn't have any other relatives that are willing to take her in, but luckily Sayori and I were there for her. The incident happened around the same time when Sayori's parents were home. They heard about all of this incident and how great of a friend Natsuki was to their child. It took a while, but they managed to fix the paperwork to adopt her just before they left for Paris. It took some time for her to adjust, heck, she was still adjusting even now! Although it's nice to see her finally have a place she could truly call and feel home.

We began to eat our breakfast together. Maido and I ate French Toast, Sayori went for the bacon and eggs and Natsuki began to eat the towering stack of pancakes before her. After a while, we managed to finish our breakfast.

" Maido! This is delicious! Seconds please!" Natsuki asked as she chomped down on the last bite of her pancake.

" Sorry, but we don't have any more batter for the pancakes." Maido replied with a smile on her face.

" Huh?! No way!" Natsuki had a surprised and dissapointed look on her face.

" Well, even if we had more pancakes, I doubt you'll be able to finish them all. Look at the time." Maido pointed at the wall clock. It's already 6:45 am.

" Shit! School starts in 15 minutes and Monika asked us to get there early!" Natsuki said in a hurried tone before standing up and dashing for my refrigerator.

" Yoku hurry up and and help me carry this boxes!" Natsuki immediately began to take out the boxes of cupcakes we prepared yesterday.

I immediately took a box from the refrigerator. I was careful not to drop it or else Natsuki might punch me. Sayori salivated at the sight of Natsuki's cucakes, I couldn't blame her. Just a whiff of the faint aroma of sugar is enough for me to imagine the taste of such a sweet treat. We stacked the boxes on top of each other before tying them up with a ribbon so that they won't open up on the way to school. Natsuki and Sayori seemed excited for the festival that as soon as I finished tying up the boxes, they immediately took a box and headed out the door. I took the remaining three boxes and went on my way as well.

" Bye Maido~!" We bid Maido goodbye in unison, she waved goodbye in response.

" Take care you guys! And good luck!" She said before closing the door behind us.

DDLC: Our Reality

We made it to our school just in the nick of time. I smiled as I saw the different banners and stalls in the school yard. We passed through the school gates while getting stares from the people there that are either setting up the decorations, or putting up their stalls. I could see some of my fellow classmates in the crowd with a cheeky smile on their faces. From out of nowhere, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to find Amy and Yosuke behind me.

" Yo! Let me help you with that!" Yosuke said before taking a box.

" Thanks!" I said with a smile on my face.

" No probs man! We still owe you for helping us join your club." He said with a chuckle.

" Heh, I can't believe you two decided to use the club to confess to each other." I smiled as I reminisced on that day. Two students wanted to participate for our poem recitation today. They told us that they wanted to read a poem they made for practice. We were surprised to find out that the two actually wanted to confess to each other through poetry.

" Ehehe... Sorry..." Amy scratched the back of her head with a smile.

" Hey! Hurry up! Do you want to taste the cupcakes or no?!" Natsuki yelled out from in front of us.

" _I guess we better hurry up lest the tsundere kick the crap out of us."_ Yosuke whispered. I nod before we quicken our pace.

The five of us made our way through various crowded corridors. It seems the entire school is enthusiastic about the festival. I could tell Sayori is making a mental note of the stalls and exhibits she's gonna visit later. I'm sure she's gonna drag me with her later for my wallet. The glances she gave me confirmed this. After a while, we finally made it to the club. We opened the door to the room and what I saw surprised and amazed me. Yuri did an amazing job with the decorations and banners. Bright and vivid colors filled the room and gave an inviting and relaxing atmosphere. It's nice to see that our hard work paid off. Though, yesterday got pretty haggard due to three girls moving around and making a mess in my house, but it was a fun day nonetheless. Maido, however, kept scolding me about having three girls in my house and **NOT** making a move in them, saying that I was too timid and meek. Well, in my defense, I already have someone I lo—

" Darling~! You're here!" I was caught off guard by someone suddenly embracing me. Thankfully, I managed to keep a firm grip on the box of cupcakes. I turned around to find Monika hugging me tightly.

Ah, Monika. The two of us were once classmates last year. She was the perfect student. Beautiful, intelligent, athletic, and charismatic, she's got it all. At first, I didn't bother talking to her since I was out of her league. In fact, it was pretty hard for every guy to approach her. It was like you're approaching a goddess. Thankfully, I got my chance due to a stroke of luck... and Sayori. It was about two months ago when I heard Sayori bragging to me that she was the vice president of some startup club and she kept relentlessly asking me to join said club. Since I was doing nothing at the time and I didn't want to straight up turn her down, I said I'd give it a try. It was then when I had a pleasant surprise in the name of Monika. I found out that she recently left the Debate Club to start the Literature Club. They already have 2 other members by that time, which was really surprising for a club that's only been up for like a month. It was here were I met Natsuki and Yuri, and it was here where I sold my soul to the Literature Club to taste Natsuki's delicious brownies and to get my chance to talk with Monika, and it was a decision that I will never regret. The two of us clicked together the moment we began to talk to each other. To think that we had so much in common surprised both of us. We started to spend more time with each other in and outside of school. The more we hang out, the closer we became until eventually, we were now officially in a romantic relationship. Those memories still bring a smile to my face.

" Hi dear! You two did a good job, I'm impressed!" I mused to her as I put down the box of cupcakes on the table.

" Ahaha~! Yuri did most of the work, but thanks! *muah*" Monika giggled before giving me a peck on the cheek. I smiled at her before petting her head.

" Geez, this early in the morning and there are already four people being lovebirds... Get a room!" Natsuki huffed out before placing the box on the table and shaking her head.

" Ehehe, let them be, Natsuki! From what I'm seeing, you're being bitter that Monika beat you to him!" Sayori teased the tsundere as she was pulling something out of her pocket. Before I could laugh however, something came flying towards Sayori and it found its mark on her forehead.

" Ow! Huh? A cookie! Thanks—"

" S-Shut up! W-What k-kind of person would g-go out with this guy!" Natsuki huffed out defensively. Her face is now a bright shade of pink.

" Ahaha! I'd go out with Yoku." Monika interjected.

" Hmph! Nobody asked you!" Natsuki pouted before folding her arms and sulking in a corner.

" _Tch, damn Monika... using her charms to get her way with him..._ " We could hear Natsuki murmuring something under her breath, but we decided that it's for the best to just leave her be.

While Amy and Yosuke unpacked the cupcakes, we heard a familiar voice from outside talking with someone. The door opened and we saw Yuri giggling and waving goodbye to someone. She turned around only to jump in surprise. Her eyes widened at the sight of us and she immediately began to quiver. We all shot her a grin as she entered the room.

" Ah... e-everyone! G-Good morning... Uh..." Yuri stammered out.

" Good morning! I see that you're doing your best to invite people to our club." Monika teased the purple haired girl.

" Ah! N-No... H-He is... Er... a friend of m-mine from class." Yuri scratched the back of her head while she thought of a good excuse.

" Hehe... Is he your boyfrie—"

" N-NO!" Yuri shouted out defensively.

I chuckled whike everyone teased the timid girl. Yuri is a shy girl with crippling social anxiety and her awkwardness gets in the way of her attempts at talking with others. Although she is a pretty amazing person, with her intellect, maturity and an amazing figure, those problems seriously hinder her from making friends and socializing with others. Nevertheless, she's quite a reliable and responsible student. The first time I met her, was in a way, a complete blunder on my part. When I was introducing myself to the club, she was the last one I approached. It was just a few moments of complete silence since I didn't know what to say to her. She was the first to break the awkward silence by asking me if I like the horror genre. I responded by saying that I read a horror book once, then we just sat there in silence. I could still remember the confused expression she had that day. Thankfully, we managed to bridge that gap between us with our common love of art, nature and tea. I found it nice that I was not the only one in the club that enjoyed a nice walk through the woods once in a while. I chuckled to myself before finally deciding to stop everyone teasing Yuri.

" Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves... I'm sure Yuri here will tell us all about her new found love someday." I spoke teasingly. Yuri pouted and sighed.

" I'd like to make it clear that I am not pursuing romantic relationships right now." Yuri spoke with a serious tone.

" Ahaha! Sorry about that Yuri! It's just rare to see you socializing with someone other than us." Monika remarked with a polite tone.

" Ah! H-How rude! I have some other acquaintances too you know? Anyways, it's nice to see that the cupcakes have arrived. I take it that we are ready for our poem recitation later?" Yuri said while she grabbed a cupcake and took a bite out of it.

" Wha— Hey! Don't just... Nevermind..." Natsuki watched Yuri's expressions as she ate the sweet treat.

" My, how delicious! As expected of Natsuki's talents..." Yuri remarked before eating the last bite of the cupcake. She pulled out her handkerchief and wiped off the crumbs on her fingers and mouth.

" Thanks..." Natsuki murmured out.

" Anyways, yeah! We start our activities at exactly... 10:30 am! Right now, it's 7:56 so we still have a lot of time!" Monika said before smiling at us.

" Since we're basically done with our preparations, why don't we go and visit the other booths?" Monika pulled out something from her pocket, a handful of coupons. "I got Miss Yumi to give me some free meal coupons for their cafe booth. Ahaha! I heard the Cooking Club makes some delicious crêpes."

We looked at each other before giving a firm nod. What kind of idiot turns down free food? Besides, Sayori can no longer contain her excitement with the mention of food. With that, everyone took their leave and we headed out towards the numerous stalls and booths in the school grounds.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

I let out a relieved sigh before putting away the last of the banners. It's been a fun yet tiring day. The festival has been a resounding success for us since many people attended our poem recitation and open mic sessions. In the process, a handful of people decided to join the club. I turned around to find Sayori putting away the pamphlets, Natsuki eating some takoyaki she bought earlier, Amy and Yosuke reading some manga, Yuri drinking tea in the corner of the room and relaxing after performing in front of a large crowd and Monika listening to some music on her phone. I took a sit beside Monika and pulled out a box of Pocky.

" Want some?" I offered her the box, which she happily accepted.

" Thanks. Aaaahhh... Long day, huh?" Monika said before putting a stick of Pocky in her mouth.

" Yeah... But it was pretty fun." I replied.

There was a moment of silence between us. Only the sound of wafers cracking between our teeth can be heard. Finally, I decided to ask her something that's been bugging me.

" Hey, Monika..." She perked up and turned towards me.

" Hmm?"

" What do you plan to do after all of this?"

" What do you mean, dear?"

" I mean, what do you plan to do after college?"

She paused for a moment while she pondered on the question. After a while, she finally answered.

" I guess I'll just get a job and settle down with you, hehe~!" She giggled before placing a hand on mine.

" Heh, that sounds... pretty nice." I replied.

" How about you? What did you have in mind?" She asked curiously.

" I... I'll just see what happens. I guess..." I replied to her before pulling her close and wrapping my hand over her shoulder.

I smiled and thought about the first time I came here. At first, I thought that this was just gonna be a boring place where I'll spend my afternoons reading books and writing poems. But it turns out, the old me was completely wrong. It turns out, there is happiness here in the Literature Club.

 ** _15 years later_**

" Daddy! Mommy! Wake up! Wake up!" I heard a pair of voices beside me and two pairs of hands tugging at my side.

I opened my eyes a little to look the two kids beside our bed. A pair of emerald green eyes and a pair of brown eyes stared down at me. The boy and the girl had an excited smile on their faces. I looked at the cracks of my blinds to see that the sun is already up. I turned to my clock to see that it's already six in the morning.

" H-Huh? W-What the—? It's six in the morning... Why are you up so early?" I murmured out half asleep.

" It's our birthday! You promised us that the pool is gonna be filled with water today." The two replied with excitement. Before I could reply however, Monika jumped up with a smile on hee face.

" Happy Birthday! Yoku! Yoku! Honey! Get up!" Monika shook me excitedly.

" _Five more minutes~ I'm still tired..."_ I murmured before covering my ears with pillows.

" Honey~! The pool isn't gonna fill itself up you know?" Monika cooed. I paused for a moment, before dragging myself out of the bed.

" *Yaaawn* Fine... But you two are gonna help me, okay?" I pointed to the little boy and girl the room.

" Yay!" The two jumped up excitedly before pulling me out of the room.

The twins is our kids. The boy is called Sherou and the girl is called Monnie. I can't believe that these two are already 6 years old today. Not just that, this also marks the day that we moved in this house six years ago. I dragged my feet across the floor and down the stairs. I was surprised to find Maido preparing breakfast. She smiled and waved at us before continuing the task at hand.

I stepped outside into the backyard and took a look at the large pool. It was a pain in the ass to clean up the entire pool yesterday. The pool has a rectangular shape to it and it's floor sloped gradually. It gave the pool a depth of 6 feet at the end once it is filled with water. It will take at least a few hours to fill this all up with water. I turned on the valve in the backyard that controlled the water that flows into the pool. I let out a long yawn before groggily walking back into the kitchen.

" Coffee?" Maido asked with a smile before flipping a pancake. She pointed to the steaming cup on the table.

" Yeah~ *yawn* Thanks." I sat down on the table and began to drink the coffee. I noticed that there is also another cup beside me, one reserved for Monika.

" Hey Dad! How big do you think our cake will be?" Sherou asked with anticipation.

" Gee, I guess I'll have to call your Aunt Natsuki later to check on it. But since you three get along pretty well... I bet it's gonna be pretty big." I said with a smile before ruffling his unkempt hair.

Five years ago, Natsuki opened her own bakery. It was a huge success, thousands of pastries and sweets were sold on the first day alone. The bakery received excellent reviews from people and critics alike, praising the genius behind all of this. The most popular of its products is the one that started this dream, her cupcakes. Sure, Natsuki had her doubts at first, but with our support, we managed to convince her to start this now booming business of hers. I think this year marks the opening of her 50th store. I enjoy dropping by from time to time on my way to work, since her original and largest branch also functions as a cafe. Although her success with her business is huge, her love life in quite the opposite. During the times all of us had a drink together, she'd wine about how difficult it is for her since even if she's an adult woman now, her size is still that of a highschooler's. We'd always console her that someday she'll find a person who likes legal lolis, but this will just piss her off even more.

" H-How about Auntie Sayori and Uncle Hiro? Will they be able to come?"

" Of course! She'll be here. Why do you think we ordered so much food?"

I laughed a little as I thought about my childhood friend. After 14 years, she finally grabbed her PhD in Psychology and became a psychiatrist. We didn't find that surprising at all since we knew about her crippling depression from long ago. She became a psychiatrist to help people from the demons that once infested her. Sayori and I used to laugh about it since it was such a cliche. The most surprising that happened to her is her boyfriend, Hiro. They met during her days in college. Thankfully, we all decided to keep in touch even though we attended different colleges and institutions so this news got to us quickly. The guy is half Japanese and half Filipino, and boy is he a such a nice guy! The two officially declared their relationship after six months of going out with each other. The guy is nice to hang around with, a chill dude if you put it in layman's terms. He's now an orthopedic surgeon, a nice job if you ask me. A few months ago, they moved into the house just down the street from ours and my kids enjoy going there since Sayori spoils them with snacks.

" Hehe, those two will eat everything! Oh! Wait! I just remembered! I need to write a thank you letter to Aunt Yuri for the novel she gave me as an early present." With that, Monnie ran off to her room.

Yuri, author of three of the top 10 bestselling novels in the world. Two of which are of the horror genre and one is a fantasy adventure novel that is second only to Tolkien's works. Though, she didn't start as successfully as Natsuki. She had some trouble at first, since her first novel didn't really sell that much. It was quite troubling for her since that was supposed to be her main sourcsource of income. Yuri was on the brink of financial ruin if not for Natsuki. Natsuki basically paid for her living expenses and promoted her novels. I could still remember the days when Natsuki rented Yuri a room in her house. After a few years, Yuri finally managed to get a break and sold her first ever successful mystery novel. With that hurdled cleared, Yuri finally got back on her feet and began officially began her career as a renowned author. With her wealth, she paid off the debt she incurred from Natsuki and moved out of her house and into her own. I remembered the time I asked Natsuki about all of this, and she replied with a chuckle and saying that her becoming an author is pretty cliche like her becoming a baker. She also didn't want her friend to abandon her most precious dream. Well, after a few years, she's a millionaire and a world class writer. With her pen she could write stories as frightening as Stephen King's works or adventures as exciting and gruesome as George R.R. Martin.

Suddenly, I felt a kiss on my right cheek. I turned to see Monika happily smiling at me. She sat down and picked up her cup of coffee, sipping on it while she stared at Sherou pouring himself a bowl of cereal. I then felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and took a look at who is calling me. To my surprise, it was my sister. I picked up the call and spoke.

" Hi sis! What's up?"

" Hey Yoku~! I'm just here to say sorry to the twins for not making it to their special day." My sister spoke with a sad tone.

" That's okay, we understand. Anyways, thanks for giving us the day off and shouldering our work for today."

" Hahaha! Thanks! Don't worry, today is the day we'll make our breakthrough on our research! Oh! Can you put Sherou and Monnie on the phone?" I chuckled before giving my phone to Sherou. His eyes glimmered as he saw my sister's name. It's been three months since he last saw her.

My sister runs a research facility focused primarily on A.I. development and Robotics. For the past 20 years she has been developing a self learning android. I work there as a programmer and developer in the A.I. program. It's a fun job most of the time, but sometimes it gets boring. Though, it's really rewarding when you finally develop an A.I. program that could hold a conversation with a human. Monika also works there, although she's under the supervision of my sister on the Android program. She's in charge of overseeing the data collection in the test runs. Last week, their department successfully created their first human-like android. I'm still figuring out the details, but my sis told me that this is the first android to use artificial shells to make a material similar to skin. But, I digress. My sister couldn't join us today since they are about to finish a new prototype for the limbs of the android. It would give the android a smoother and fluid motion once completed.

Monnie ran down the stairs with a piece of paper. I called out to her and told her that my sis is on the phone. Sherou gave her the phone and continued eating his cereal. Just then, Maido placed down a tray carrying two plates of pancakes and two plates of bacon and eggs.

" Yoku, I suppose you'll help me with the food later?" Maido asked as placed the plates in front of us.

" Yeah, I'll help with the burgers later. Monika will go setup the salad bar later." I said to Maido.

" Ahaha! I'm pretty excited for later! It's nice to have the Literature Club together, not drinking." Monika spoke with an excited tone.

" Yeah... Anyways, everyone's gonna be here by 10, right?" I asked Monika before biting down on a juicy piece of bacon.

" Yes, so you better prepare the food quickly, okay?" Monika said while she poured maple syrup on her and Monnie's pancakes.

" Heh, Maido and I will be ready. Besides, we have a contest between us on who's food will be better." I proudly spoke.

" Hmm... You may have the edge when it comes to meat, but I have the upper hand in appetizers and snacks." Maido boasted with a proud smile on her face.

" We shall see about that!" I confidently spoke before taking a bite of the eggs on my plate.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

The sounds of sizzling meat on top of my outdoor grill is like a melodic choir of flavors to my ears. The long table we have set in our vast backyard is filled to the brim with food. In the pool played Sherou and Monnie along with a few of their friends, one of which is Amy and Yosuke's kid. Her name is Hikari, and she's just a year older than my kids. Sherou won't admit it, but he's got a thing for her.

Speaking of which, Amy and Yosuke became writers and directors for an anime studio in Japan. Though we're technically neighbors, they usually spend most of the year overseas. Thankfully, they're already here in the country and is just an hour away from the neighborhood. The sound of a car parking in my driveway yanked me out of my thoughts. Then, I heard a high pitched voice barking orders at someone.

" Gently now! It took me three damn hours to make that cake!" Suddenly, two young boys wearing the red uniform of Natsuki's bakery made their way into the backyard before gently placing down the cake on the table before going back to the driveway which the sound of a car driving away can clearly be heard.

Then, Natsuki walked into the backyard holding a present. Her hair is still tied into twintails, except her hair is now longer and reached her back. She is wearing a pink apron dress decorated with frills. She turned towards me and looked at me from head to toe before flashing a smug grin.

" Oh! Ahaha! Hello there, super mom!" Natsuki teased before slapping me on the back.

" Heh, glad you can make it, _tsun-tsun_." I teased before flipping a steak over. She pouted before folding her arms.

" Touché. Anyways, here is the chocolate cake for the birthday twins. Speaking of which, where are the—"

" Auntie Natsuki! Thanks for coming!" The two said in unison while they both waved at her. She waved back and laughed.

" Haha! Hello you two! I've got your cake here." Natsuki shouted back. The two gave her a thumbs up before going back to their game.

" Anyways, I'll go chill in your living room for a while. See ya!" Natsuki waved before going into my house along with the present. I chuckled before flipping over the sausages.

After a while, I heard he front door open followed by the excited squeal of two girls. Then, I heard footsteps running towards the kitchen. Sayori then came bursting out of the house, the scent of food leading her here. She turned towards me before beaming widely. She was wearing a simple white T-shirt with a tomato as its design and blue shorts with a blue jacket wrapped around her waist. It's been 15 years and her fashion sense is still that of a child's.

" Yoku! Hi! Nice to see you!" Sayori said before hugging me.

" Ahaha, nice to see you two— Wha? Hey!" I didn't notice that Sayori was holding a fork when she hugged me, so I was caught by surprise when she suddenly pulled away with a sausage on her fork.

" _Fuuuu~ Fuuuu~ *chomp*_ Hot! Hot! ...*chomp* Hot! Hot!" Sayori stuck out her tongue while blowing on it.

" What did you expect, you dummy? Haha, there's some ice tea in the fridge." I laughed before Sayori rushed inside the house. Hiro then walked outside with a smile on his face.

" Ahaha, that dummy. Well, well, well! Those barbecues look delicious! Can I have one?" He asked nicely. I nodded and gave him two barbecues.

" Ahaha, sure! Give one to Sayori too. I'm sure she'll take a bite out of yours if she doesn't have one."

" Ahaha! You two sure are friends. Thanks!" Hiro walked back inside the house. I let out a laugh when I heard Sayori wheeze loudly. She probably took a bite out of it while it is still pretty hot.

A while passed. I could hear Monika and the others talking with each other. This reminds me of old ti—

" H-Hello, Yoku! Nice to see you again!" I jumped in surprise. I turned around to see Yuri smiling at me.

She still have long purple hair, except she usually ties it in a ponytail nowadays. She wore a black, long sleeve polo and dark blue leggings and a dark blue coat. Geez, even though I'm already happily married to Monika, I can't help but stare at Yuri's breasts. Thankfully, I managed to resist the temptation of staring at them for too long.

" Oh hi! You startled me, I didn't even know you arrived." I said to her with a chuckle.

" Ah... Pardon my intrusion then. W-Where are the others?" She asked, looking around the backyard.

" They're in the living room. You're welcome to join them if you want."

" Ah, thanks!" Yuri waved at the children before entering the house.

The last to arrive were Amy and Yosuke. They were still in their formal attire when they arrived. At the same time, I finished up cooking the last of the meat and the children have already dried themselves off. Maido and I pulled ouout the spare chairs into the yard while Natsuki and Yuri took out the cake from the box. It was a large cake, with the words 'Happy Birthday Monnie and Sherou!' written with frosting. After a short wait, the children finally finished changing and we began to sing them a loud happy birthday song. They smiled widely as we sang, waiting anxiously to blow out their candles. After we finished the song, the two blew out the candles at the same time and wished for many more birthdays like this. With that, the party officially began.

Sayori went towards the food and piled as much as she can on her plate. Natsuki cut up the cake and distributed it to everyone. Yuri and Monika chatted and laughed by the salad bar. Amy talked with Hikari, teasing her from time to time by asking if she likes anyone. Yosuke, Hiro and I cracked open some cold ones and began to laugh about the good old times and how nostalgic it is to hang out like this again. Maido and Monnie sat together on the table, happily unwrapping the presents they received. I smile formed on my face, how I wish I could give my children days like this foreve— Hold on, where's Sherou?

I placed my can of beer down on the table and excused myself. I remember seeing the little rascal walk out the gate. I went through the kitchen and the living room, searching for the boy. Then, I heard him laughing and talking to someone from outside. I peeked out the window to find him talking with a young man wearing a white T-shirt and brown pants. He didn't look dangerous, but I didn't recognize him either. The man pulled out a small box from his pocket and gave it to Yoku. He gave him a pat on the bed before waving goodbye and pointing at me. Sherou looked at the window and waved at me, I waved back in response while I watched the man walk away into the distance. Sherou then walked back to the house where I was waiting for him.

" H-Hey bud, who was that?" I asked him in a friendly manner.

" Huh? I thought you knew him. He told me he was an old friend of yours." I was perplexed by this. I was screaming a little bit inside and I was about to call the cops on this suspicious stranger.

" I've never seen that man in my life." I said to the boy. But just as I was about to warn him about talking to strangers, he handed me the box.

" Well, he told me to give this to you. I'll go back to the party. Bye Dad!" With that, Sherou ran off to the backyard, leaving me with a bewildered expression and a strange box.

 **DDLC: Our Reality**

I sat on my bed holding the strange box. It's already been a few hours since the party ended. Everyone has gone home and it's already pretty late at night. Monika is in the kids' room tucking them off to sleep, leaving me alone with this strange present. I stared at it, my thoughts are filled with a morbid curiosity as I debated whether or not to open this potentially dangerous item. In the end, my curiosity won and I unwrapped the item from its packaging. I was surprised to find a small box containing a flash drive. I took out my laptop from my nightstand and opened it. I hesitated on plugging the flash drive into my spare laptop since it might contain a virus, but I plugged it in anyway. Inside is a letter, and it reads.

 _Congratulations! You have achieved the best ending! I congratulate you! You have gotten so far in life now since the last time we met, I'm so proud! Anyways, I bid you good luck in your future!_

 _Sincerely,_

 _A._

I scoffed before shutting down my laptop. It was a nice gesture from someone, but it still baffles me who wanted to congratulate me about my success and why. I put away my laptop and smiled before lying down in bed.

"This reminds me of a dream I had years ago... I never finished that dream... Ahaha..." I murmured to myself as I drifted off to sleep.

Perhaps that dream was already finished, I just didn't notice it yet.

 ** _The End._**


End file.
